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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. 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. bear — the animal
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. staff — employees
  4. branch — a division
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. stand — to bear
  11. prune — to trim
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bear — the animal
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. staff — employees
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. 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