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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · root · land · degree · drill · ball · bark · ruler

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. bark — to shout
  3. board — to get on
  4. root — the cause
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. root — of a plant
  7. ball — a dance
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. drill — army training
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. board — a committee
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — temperature
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. land — ground
  23. drill — the tool
  24. root — of a word

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