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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: land · ruler · track · saw · rest · toast · rush · bass

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. land — ground
  3. land — a country
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. saw — the tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. land — to come down
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rest — a break
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bass — low music
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. rest — what's left

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