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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: lie · trunk · object · sharp · pound · band · plane · fall

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. fall — the season
  3. band — a ring
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. object — to protest
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. object — an aim
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fall — to drop
  11. band — a music group
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. fall — to drop
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. object — a thing
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. plane — a tool
  24. lie — an untruth

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