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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: nail · ruler · plane · scale · track · lean · fan · trunk

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. scale — size or range
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. track — a song
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. track — to keep track
  13. scale — in music
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. track — a path
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. lean — thin
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. plane — a tool

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