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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: object · trunk · ruler · suit · bulb · hand · band · chair

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. object — a thing
  3. band — a music group
  4. suit — in cards
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. band — a ring
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. chair — a leader
  11. suit — clothes
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. object — an aim
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. hand — help
  20. object — to protest
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. suit — to fit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bulb — for light

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