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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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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: board · cabinet · drill · root · craft · fine

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. craft — boats
  3. board — to get on
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. root — of a word
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. root — the cause
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. drill — the tool
  18. root — of a plant

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