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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 · can · ball · wound · coach · bound · trunk · rule

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. rule — a law
  3. wound — an injury
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. ball — a dance
  8. scale — size or range
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — certain
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rule — government
  17. can — a tin
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. ball — a great time
  22. can — a tin
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in music

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