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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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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. court — of law
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pound — a weight
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. suit — to fit
  12. craft — boats
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. court — of a king
  18. bear — the animal
  19. suit — in cards
  20. branch — a division
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. craft — a skill
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. court — for 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