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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: root · craft · tear · ruler · hide · firm · deal · drill

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. drill — army training
  5. craft — a skill
  6. root — of a plant
  7. firm — steady
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. tear — from crying
  10. firm — a company
  11. craft — boats
  12. drill — the tool
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. tear — to rip
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tear — from crying
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. root — the cause
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. root — of a word
  23. drill — a practice
  24. deal — an agreement

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