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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.

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: ruler · dip · rock · face · game · bank · rash · trunk

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rock — a stone
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bank — for money
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rash — a series
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. face — part of the head
  16. dip — to sink
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. rock — music
  19. bank — for money
  20. game — a match
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. game — wild animals
  23. face — to confront
  24. game — a kind of play

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