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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. hand — in cards
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mark — a grade
  8. hand — help
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mark — a trace
  11. spell — a short time
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. spell — letters
  14. plane — a tool
  15. spell — magic
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. sharp — clever
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. ruler — a monarch

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