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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: plane · roll · bay · ruler · march · row · branch · calf

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. march — the month
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. row — to paddle
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. branch — a division
  15. row — a line
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. roll — a list
  24. row — a quarrel

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