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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: ruler · temple · wind · net · ground · staff · board · toast

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  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. staff — employees
  2. ground — crushed
  3. net — after costs
  4. ground — a position
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wind — moving air
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ground — the earth
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wind — moving air
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. net — for catching
  14. staff — a stick
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. staff — employees
  17. net — in sport
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. toast — bread
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. board — to get on
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  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