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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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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: plane · ruler · row · trunk · bound · rock · pound · vault

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rock — music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. vault — a safe
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — tied together
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. row — a line
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rock — a stone
  21. plane — a tool
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bound — certain
  24. pound — to hit hard

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