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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: degree · arm · trunk · plane · key · scale · rule · ruler

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. key — for a lock
  3. plane — a tool
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. scale — size or range
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rule — government
  9. key — in music
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rule — a law
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. scale — in music
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — an amount
  21. degree — from a university
  22. key — the most important part
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. ruler — for measuring

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