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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: fan · ruler · stand · straw · trunk · board · drill · swing

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. drill — a practice
  6. swing — in golf
  7. drill — army training
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. swing — music
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. board — a committee
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. board — to get on
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. swing — to play on
  24. drill — the 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