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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.

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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: band · ball · saw · craft · branch · calf · ruler · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. band — a music group
  3. ball — a dance
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a ring
  7. saw — the tool
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rest — a break
  11. craft — a skill
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. branch — a division
  16. rest — what's left
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. craft — boats
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. ball — a great time

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