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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: date · row · spring · nail · can · bear · plane · ruler

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. spring — the season
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. row — to paddle
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. spring — of water
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. row — a line
  22. can — to be able to
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — a tin

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