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

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. file — a tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bank — for money
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bank — of a river
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. rush — hurry
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. file — a line of people
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. file — a document
  24. foot — the bottom

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