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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: tube · perch · trunk · rule · net · roll · board · ruler

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rule — a law
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. roll — a list
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — the fish
  13. board — a committee
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. board — to get on
  16. roll — a cake
  17. rule — government
  18. tube — a container
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. net — for catching

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