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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · track · bark · board · mate · wave · tube · ruler

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mate — a friend
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. track — to keep track
  6. track — a path
  7. tube — the underground
  8. board — to get on
  9. mate — to breed
  10. tube — a container
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. board — a committee
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bark — to shout
  22. track — a song
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bark — of a tree

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