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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 · shower · bore · bear · board · root · spell · lash

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bear — the animal
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bore — to drill
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. board — a committee
  10. spell — magic
  11. board — to get on
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. root — of a word
  14. bear — the animal
  15. spell — letters
  16. root — the cause
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. spell — a short time
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bore — to tire

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