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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 · saw · drill · deal · board · last · tear · pound

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. drill — a practice
  3. deal — to handle
  4. tear — from crying
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. board — to get on
  7. saw — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. tear — to rip
  13. last — final
  14. drill — the tool
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. last — to go on
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. board — a committee
  19. pound — a weight
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tear — from crying
  22. last — finally
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. ruler — for measuring

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