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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 116 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: present · band · club · leaves · trunk · ruler · mug · chip

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chip — to eat
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. club — for dancing
  6. mug — a face
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. club — a group
  9. band — a music group
  10. present — there
  11. chip — for betting
  12. club — for golf
  13. present — the time now
  14. mug — to rob
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. band — a ring
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mug — a cup
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — a gift
  24. band — a rubber band

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