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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 · bank · lie · trunk · roll · foot · bear · scale

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bank — for money
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. lie — to recline
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bank — of a river
  12. scale — in music
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. bear — the animal
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. roll — a cake
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. roll — a list
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. scale — for weighing

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