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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · board · lie · bay · ruler · stick · mouse · rock

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. board — a committee
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — a cake
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. board — to get on
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — to recline

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com