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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: land · board · track · charge · ruler · pop · lie · trunk

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. land — a country
  4. board — a committee
  5. pop — music
  6. track — a song
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pop — to visit
  10. track — to keep track
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — a path
  15. pop — soda
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. land — ground
  20. board — to get on
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. land — to come down
  24. trunk — of a car

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