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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: plane · bank · stand · land · ruler · trunk · sharp · mark

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bank — for money
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bank — of a river
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — to bear
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. mark — a trace
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. sharp — clever
  17. land — a country
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mark — a grade
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. land — ground

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