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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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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 · fork · deal · trunk · row · file · pop · press

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. file — a line of people
  4. row — a line
  5. deal — to handle
  6. pop — music
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a document
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. press — newspapers
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. pop — soda
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — to paddle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. press — a publisher
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. press — to push
  22. pop — to visit
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. ruler — a monarch

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