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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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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: present · root · drill · plane · kick · craft · ruler · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. present — a gift
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. drill — a practice
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. board — a committee
  7. craft — a skill
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. drill — army training
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. present — there
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. present — the time now
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. root — of a plant
  20. kick — in football
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. root — of a word
  23. drill — the tool
  24. root — the cause

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