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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: mouse · capital · spring · mug · club · rest · ruler · fork

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. spring — a coil
  5. rest — what's left
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fork — in a road
  11. club — a group
  12. mug — a face
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. capital — a city
  17. mug — a cup
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. club — for golf
  20. spring — the season
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. capital — money
  23. spring — of water
  24. rest — a break

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