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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: bay · bore · foot · degree · board · ruler · rock · fall

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. fall — to drop
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. degree — from a university
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. rock — a stone
  18. board — a committee
  19. rock — music
  20. bore — to tire
  21. fall — the season
  22. fall — to drop
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. degree — an amount

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