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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: rule · ruler · board · present · fall · root · craft · clip

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. rule — a law
  3. clip — for paper
  4. fall — to drop
  5. present — there
  6. rule — government
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. root — of a word
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fall — to drop
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. present — the time now
  16. craft — boats
  17. clip — a video
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. present — a gift
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. board — a committee
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. clip — to cut
  24. fall — the season

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