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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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Word bank
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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: saw · present · wax · drill · ruler · mark · board · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. drill — the tool
  3. fall — to drop
  4. board — to get on
  5. present — there
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. fall — the season
  8. drill — army training
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. drill — a practice
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. saw — the tool
  13. present — the time now
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mark — a trace
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wax — to grow
  19. board — a committee
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. present — a gift
  24. mark — a grade

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