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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: craft · root · cap · cabinet · ruler · swing · roll · clip

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. clip — a video
  5. root — of a word
  6. craft — boats
  7. cap — a lid
  8. root — the cause
  9. cap — of ice
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. swing — music
  15. clip — for paper
  16. cap — a hat
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. swing — to play on
  20. root — of a plant
  21. swing — in golf
  22. roll — a list
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. clip — to cut

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