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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
468
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: bore · bound · board · trunk · ruler · date · wave · bear

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bear — the animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. board — a committee
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. board — to get on
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bear — the animal
  24. date — the fruit

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