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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: track · march · ruler · spring · nail · roll · rest · calf

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. march — the month
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. march — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. track — a song
  8. spring — the season
  9. roll — a cake
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. spring — of water
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — a coil
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. march — the month
  20. track — a path
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. track — to keep track
  24. calf — a young animal

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