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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 120 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: root · prune · ruler · bowl · drill · bore · board · rule

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. rule — government
  3. bore — to tire
  4. drill — the tool
  5. prune — to trim
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. rule — a law
  9. root — of a word
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. root — the cause
  15. drill — a practice
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. board — to get on
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. root — of a plant
  24. ruler — a monarch

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