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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: face · club · trunk · present · toast · plane · stand · ruler

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. club — a group
  3. face — part of the head
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. plane — a tool
  8. club — for golf
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. present — a gift
  11. face — to point toward
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. toast — bread
  15. face — to confront
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. present — the time now
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. club — for dancing
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. present — there
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. plane — an aircraft

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