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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: trunk · cap · plane · club · object · ruler · chair · pass

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — for golf
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. object — to protest
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. cap — a lid
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. club — a group
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. object — an aim
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. object — a thing
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pass — a permit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cap — of ice

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