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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · spring · mate · branch · kick · calf · cabinet · pass

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. kick — in football
  3. mate — a partner
  4. spring — a coil
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pass — a permit
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. can — a tin
  12. spring — the season
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mate — to breed
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. can — a tin
  22. spring — of water
  23. branch — a division
  24. can — to be able to

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