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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: ruler · last · wound · content · root · file · sharp · board

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. root — the cause
  3. wound — an injury
  4. file — a tool
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — final
  7. file — a document
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. content — the amount
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. content — happy
  13. board — a committee
  14. root — of a plant
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. last — finally
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wound — an injury
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. board — to get on
  23. root — of a word
  24. sharp — exactly

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