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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: trunk · ruler · craft · chip · staff · fine · ball · band

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fine — all right
  4. staff — employees
  5. fine — high quality
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a great time
  9. craft — boats
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — a stick
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. band — a ring

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