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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 · spring · hide · foot · file · stock · suit · saw

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. file — a line of people
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. file — a tool
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. foot — a measure
  9. suit — to fit
  10. spring — of water
  11. file — a document
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stock — goods
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. suit — in cards
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — a coil
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stock — shares
  24. saw — the tool

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