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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: chip · ruler · deal · fine · mark · jam · object · spring

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. mark — a grade
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. deal — to handle
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. fine — all right
  10. spring — the season
  11. object — a thing
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. mark — a trace
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. chip — for betting
  16. spring — of water
  17. chip — to eat
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. deal — a big deal
  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