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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: land · stand · bass · trunk · coach · mouse · lean · ruler

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bass — the fish
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. lean — to bend
  9. land — a country
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. land — ground
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bass — low music
  17. land — to come down
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. lean — thin
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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