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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: calf · saw · squash · nail · bowl · hand · branch · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. bulb — for light
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. branch — a division
  5. saw — the tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. squash — to crush
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hand — help
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. squash — the sport

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