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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: drill · root · bowl · arm · board · content · mark · ruler

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. content — happy
  3. root — of a word
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. board — a committee
  6. drill — army training
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. drill — a practice
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. root — the cause
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. content — the amount
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. root — of a plant
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. drill — the tool
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — to get on

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