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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
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: march · ruler · board · rash · tube · staff · content · foot

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. tube — the underground
  4. content — happy
  5. rash — hasty
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. foot — a measure
  9. content — the amount
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. staff — employees
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. board — a committee
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. board — to get on
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. tube — a container
  24. march — music

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