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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 116 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: calf · drill · mouse · stem · spring · bay · plane · field

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. drill — army training
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. field — for sport
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. field — farmland
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. field — a subject
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stem — to come from
  16. plane — a tool
  17. spring — the season
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. drill — the tool
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — of water
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mouse — for a computer

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