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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 116 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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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: straw · trunk · plane · mark · net · object · pitch · ruler

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. net — after costs
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mark — a grade
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. mark — a trace
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. object — an aim
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pitch — completely
  24. ruler — a monarch

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