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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 120 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: wind · rash · trunk · ruler · calf · plane · spring · object

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. wind — moving air
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. plane — a tool
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. object — to protest
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. spring — the season
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spring — of water
  15. object — a thing
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. rash — hasty
  18. spring — a coil
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. object — an aim
  22. wind — moving air
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. plane — in geometry

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