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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: saw · calf · squash · spring · ball · present · chair · bulb

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. squash — to crush
  3. saw — the tool
  4. present — there
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. spring — the season
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. present — the time now
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. ball — a dance
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chair — a leader
  20. present — a gift
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ball — a great time
  23. squash — the sport
  24. spring — of water

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