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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: trunk · face · fan · bore · roll · ruler · fork · rush

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. face — to point toward
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bore — to tire
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. roll — a list
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fork — in a road

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