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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: ruler · wake · foot · degree · plane · key · racket · trunk

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. key — for a lock
  5. wake — a trail
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. degree — an amount
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. degree — temperature
  17. key — in music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. degree — from a university
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. key — the most important part
  24. foot — a measure

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