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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: rest · branch · calf · cue · pass · saw · drill · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. rest — a break
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. spring — a coil
  10. cue — a hint
  11. spring — of water
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cue — for pool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. branch — a division
  16. cue — a signal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. drill — army training
  24. calf — a young animal

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