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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: prune · board · ruler · leaves · bank · patient · file · drill

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. drill — army training
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. file — a line of people
  9. drill — a practice
  10. file — a tool
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. file — a document
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. prune — to trim
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bank — for money
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. prune — to trim
  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