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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: saw · toast · ruler · band · trunk · mouse

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. toast — bread
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. band — a ring
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. band — a music group
  17. ruler — a monarch
  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