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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: saw · drill · chip · pop · ruler · leaves · board · squash

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. saw — the tool
  3. board — a committee
  4. chip — to eat
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pop — to visit
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. chip — for betting
  14. drill — the tool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. saw — the tool
  17. squash — the sport
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — a practice
  24. squash — to crush

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