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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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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. drill — army training
  10. squash — to crush
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. branch — a division
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. drill — a practice
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. drill — 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