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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: ruler · track · patient · coach · trunk · plane · foot · spring

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. spring — the season
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a song
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. track — a path
  20. foot — a measure
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. plane — a tool

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