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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: roll · ruler · spring · dip · plane · jam · hand · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. roll — a list
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. spring — of water
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. roll — a cake
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. dip — to sink
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. plane — a tool
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. spring — the season
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. hand — help
  24. spring — a coil

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