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

Word bank: ruler · pit · firm · wind · object · trunk

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. object — to protest
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — steady
  8. wind — moving air
  9. firm — decided
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pit — a hole
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. wind — moving air
  17. object — an aim
  18. firm — a company

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