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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: drill · mouse · hide · fork · branch · calf · plane · content

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. drill — the tool
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. drill — a practice
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. content — the amount
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. branch — a division
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. content — happy
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. drill — army training
  23. plane — a tool
  24. branch — of a tree

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