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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: ruler · toast · staff · bear · pop · board · wind · tear

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pop — soda
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. staff — employees
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pop — music
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bear — the animal
  15. board — a committee
  16. staff — a stick
  17. tear — from crying
  18. pop — to visit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wind — moving air
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. staff — employees
  24. board — to get on

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