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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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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 · ruler · field · bowl · cabinet · straw · nail · suit

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. root — of a word
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — for sport
  6. field — a subject
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — clothes
  9. root — the cause
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — to fit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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