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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.

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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: pit · nail · spring · branch · calf · tube · mark · rule

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. mark — a grade
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — the season
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tube — a container
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. branch — a division
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pit — a hole
  21. spring — of water
  22. rule — government
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rule — a law

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