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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: drill · ruler · shower · can · plane · wave · mouse · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. can — a tin
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. drill — army training
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. shower — rain
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. shower — to wash
  23. drill — the tool
  24. wave — with your hand

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