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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cue — a signal
  5. branch — a division
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. drill — the tool
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — a practice
  11. tube — a container
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. cue — for pool
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pound — a weight
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. saw — the tool
  24. tube — the underground

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