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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: ruler · trunk · date · capital · pound · suit

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. capital — a city
  3. suit — to fit
  4. capital — money
  5. suit — clothes
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pound — a weight
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. trunk — of a tree

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