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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: pop · present · bore · hide · season · game · board · ruler

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. season — to add flavour
  2. present — there
  3. board — to get on
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — a committee
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pop — music
  10. present — the time now
  11. season — of the year
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. game — a match
  14. pop — soda
  15. season — in sport
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bore — to drill
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. present — a gift
  22. pop — to visit
  23. board — a flat piece
  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