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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: bank · clip · ruler · trunk · coach · plane · sharp · racket

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. clip — a video
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. clip — to cut
  18. bank — of a river
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bank — for money
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. plane — in geometry

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