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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: trunk · field · ruler · root · spell · clip · board · drill

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. board — to get on
  3. root — of a word
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. field — a subject
  6. drill — army training
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. spell — magic
  10. spell — letters
  11. drill — a practice
  12. board — a committee
  13. drill — the tool
  14. spell — a short time
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — for paper
  17. field — for sport
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. field — farmland

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