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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 · dip · trunk · hide · stick · face · mark · net

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. mark — a trace
  3. face — to confront
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mark — a grade
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. net — after costs
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. net — for catching
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. dip — to sink
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. net — in sport

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