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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: drill · ruler · toast · board · band · track · content · temple

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. track — a path
  3. drill — the tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. board — to get on
  11. drill — army training
  12. track — a song
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. board — a committee
  15. track — to keep track
  16. drill — a practice
  17. content — happy
  18. band — a music group
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. band — a ring
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. content — the amount
  24. toast — bread

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