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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spring · calf · rule · craft · cue · drill

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. cue — a signal
  3. drill — the tool
  4. spring — a coil
  5. craft — boats
  6. cue — for pool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. drill — army training
  10. rule — government
  11. cue — a hint
  12. drill — a practice
  13. spring — of water
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rule — a law
  16. craft — a skill
  17. spring — the season
  18. calf — of the leg

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