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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: wake · bore · rule · bowl · fall · board · fine · craft

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wake — a trail
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. rule — a law
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. rule — government
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. board — a committee
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fall — the season
  22. fine — all right
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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