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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: trunk · plane · bowl · ruler · calf · bank · shower · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — for money
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bank — for money
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. shower — rain
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bank — of a river
  24. plane — a tool

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