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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 116 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: wake · lean · rash · firm · bore · game · board · drill

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bore — to drill
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bore — to tire
  5. firm — a company
  6. rash — a series
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. lean — thin
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. drill — a practice
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. drill — army training
  16. lean — to bend
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. wake — a trail
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rash — hasty
  24. wake — before a funeral

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