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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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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: tear · spring · toast · saw · deal · ruler · track · date

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. tear — to rip
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. tear — from crying
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. track — a path
  13. deal — to handle
  14. spring — the season
  15. saw — the tool
  16. tear — from crying
  17. track — to keep track
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. track — a song
  20. spring — a coil
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. toast — bread
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. spring — of water

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