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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: trunk · roll · ruler · court · net · nail · tube · deal

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. net — in sport
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of a king
  5. net — after costs
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. court — of law
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. roll — a list
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. tube — a container
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. tube — the underground
  20. roll — a cake
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. net — for catching
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. deal — to handle

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