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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
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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: march · bore · face · swing · board · rock · track · ruler

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. march — music
  6. face — to confront
  7. swing — music
  8. board — a committee
  9. face — part of the head
  10. march — the month
  11. track — to keep track
  12. swing — in golf
  13. track — a path
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. bore — to tire
  17. march — the month
  18. board — to get on
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. swing — to play on
  23. face — to point toward
  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