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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 120 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 · ruler · land · mark · object · last · squash · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. object — a thing
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bear — the animal
  5. object — an aim
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mark — a grade
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. object — to protest
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. squash — to crush
  12. land — ground
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. last — to go on
  15. board — to get on
  16. last — final
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. land — to come down
  22. last — finally
  23. land — a country
  24. board — a committee

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