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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: face · plane · ruler · fall · lash · trunk · band · current

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. band — a music group
  3. plane — a tool
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. face — to confront
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. band — a ring
  9. current — electric
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. face — part of the head
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. current — happening now
  15. face — to point toward
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. fall — the season
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fall — to drop
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. fall — to drop
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. current — of water

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