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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hand — help
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. chest — a box
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. fall — the season
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stand — to bear
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. date — the fruit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fall — to drop
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. hand — in cards
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — to get on
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. chest — of your body
  23. fall — to drop
  24. chest — of your body

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