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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: chest · dip · date · plane · row · trunk · ruler · fine

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. chest — a box
  5. dip — to sink
  6. row — a line
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. row — to paddle
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fine — high quality
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. plane — a tool
  22. fine — all right
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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