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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: cabinet · squash · craft · stick · root · drill · mark · wind

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wind — moving air
  5. root — of a word
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. craft — boats
  8. wind — moving air
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — a practice
  11. root — the cause
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. craft — a skill
  15. squash — the sport
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. drill — army training
  23. root — of a plant
  24. squash — to crush

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