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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: roll · ruler · land · stick · board · toast · ground · rush

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — a list
  5. ground — a position
  6. roll — a cake
  7. ground — crushed
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. land — ground
  11. board — to get on
  12. land — a country
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. board — a committee
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ground — the earth
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. toast — bread
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. land — to come down

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