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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: spring · saw · bear · racket · firm · drill · bulb · branch

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. firm — decided
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — a coil
  8. firm — steady
  9. saw — the tool
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. spring — of water
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. firm — a company
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. branch — a division
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bulb — for light
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. saw — 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