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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 120 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: root · hand · suit · board · ruler · saw · kid · perch

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. board — a committee
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. kid — child
  10. saw — the tool
  11. board — to get on
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. suit — in cards
  14. saw — the tool
  15. root — of a word
  16. hand — in cards
  17. perch — the fish
  18. kid — to tease
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hand — help
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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