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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: pound · ruler · saw · content · board · rest · wind · scale

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. board — to get on
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — happy
  5. saw — the tool
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pound — a weight
  11. saw — the tool
  12. board — a committee
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. scale — size or range
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. wind — moving air
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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