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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: track · arm · spring · saw · fork · ruler

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. spring — the season
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. fork — in a road
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. spring — a coil
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. spring — of water
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. arm — a part of something

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