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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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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: branch · lean · spring · ball · bowl · drill · ruler · cap

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. spring — of water
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. cap — a lid
  9. spring — a coil
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. drill — army training
  16. cap — a hat
  17. drill — the tool
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lean — thin
  20. cap — of ice
  21. branch — a division
  22. lean — to bend
  23. spring — the season
  24. drill — a practice

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