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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: spring · jam · ruler · mug · fan · saw · trunk · present

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. present — a gift
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. mug — a face
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. spring — of water
  13. mug — a cup
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. spring — the season
  16. mug — to rob
  17. saw — the tool
  18. present — there
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. spring — a coil
  22. present — the time now
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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