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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 120 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: cap · temple · trunk · track · saw · game · fan · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. track — to keep track
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. saw — the tool
  7. track — a song
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. cap — a lid
  11. track — a path
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cap — of ice
  17. game — a match
  18. saw — the tool
  19. game — wild animals
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cap — a hat

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