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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: ruler · prune · jam · chip · can · track · land · mark

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. land — a country
  5. chip — for betting
  6. land — to come down
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — a song
  12. prune — to trim
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. track — a path
  19. land — ground
  20. track — to keep track
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chip — to eat

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