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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
468
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: stand · ruler · plane · track · saw · pop · dip · spring

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. spring — of water
  3. dip — to sink
  4. track — to keep track
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pop — to visit
  9. plane — a tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. track — a path
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. spring — the season
  15. saw — the tool
  16. track — a song
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — soda
  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