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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: game · trunk · cabinet · tube · ruler · track · perch · jam

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. perch — the fish
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. track — a path
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. track — a song
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a match
  17. tube — the underground
  18. track — to keep track
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. tube — a container
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. perch — for a bird

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