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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 120 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: bound · mine · nail · present · lean · ruler · trunk · tube

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. present — the time now
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. tube — the underground
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bound — obliged
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. present — there
  16. tube — a container
  17. mine — for digging
  18. present — a gift
  19. bound — certain
  20. lean — thin
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bound — tied together
  24. lean — to bend

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