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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. row — to paddle
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. row — a line
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. craft — a skill
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. branch — a division
  11. craft — boats
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mine — for digging
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. firm — steady
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mouse — the 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