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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: scale · ruler · mark · mine · trunk · chip · saw · bulb

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mark — a trace
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mine — for digging
  11. scale — in music
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bulb — for light
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bulb — for light
  21. scale — size or range
  22. mark — a grade
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chip — for betting

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