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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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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 · ruler · plane · ground · chest · lie · content · board

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ground — a position
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. chest — of your body
  7. ground — the earth
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — a committee
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. content — happy
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. lie — to recline
  15. chest — of your body
  16. content — the amount
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — a tool
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ground — crushed

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