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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.

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: spring · perch · board · capital · drill · leaves · ruler · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. drill — army training
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. drill — a practice
  10. perch — the fish
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. drill — the tool
  14. board — a committee
  15. capital — money
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. board — to get on
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. spring — the season
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. capital — a city

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