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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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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: field · mark · straw · bore · ruler · root · spell · craft

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. root — the cause
  6. field — for sport
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. mark — a grade
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. spell — a short time
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. spell — magic
  18. bore — to tire
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. field — a subject
  22. craft — boats
  23. spell — letters
  24. bore — to drill

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