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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: plane · fork · scale · root · degree · trunk · board · field

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. field — farmland
  4. root — of a plant
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. board — to get on
  7. root — the cause
  8. degree — an amount
  9. plane — a tool
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. field — for sport
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. degree — from a university
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. root — of a word
  17. board — a committee
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. degree — temperature
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. scale — in music
  22. field — a subject
  23. scale — size or range
  24. plane — an aircraft

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