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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: trunk · degree · ruler · lean · cabinet · board · wound · foot

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. lean — to bend
  4. degree — an amount
  5. lean — thin
  6. degree — from a university
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wound — an injury
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wound — an injury
  16. board — a committee
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. degree — temperature
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. board — to get on
  24. ruler — for measuring

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