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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · ruler · trunk · suit · lash · degree · bass · bank

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bass — low music
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. degree — from a university
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bank — for money
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. mine — for digging
  22. suit — in cards
  23. degree — temperature
  24. ruler — for measuring

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