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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.

Make a worksheet

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: lie · plane · saw · scale · trunk · ruler · press · straw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. press — newspapers
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. plane — a tool
  9. press — to push
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. scale — in music
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. scale — size or range
  21. press — a publisher
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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