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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: drill · can · wave · bark · ruler · board · spring · chair

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. spring — a coil
  4. board — a committee
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. spring — of water
  12. drill — the tool
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. drill — a practice
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — to shout
  19. drill — army training
  20. spring — the season
  21. board — to get on
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — to be able to

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