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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: saw · trunk · cabinet · game · board · jam · calf · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. saw — the tool
  9. game — a match
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. saw — the tool
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. board — to get on
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. board — a committee

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