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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. stand — to bear
  3. branch — a division
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — in cards
  9. game — a match
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bear — the animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. suit — clothes
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bear — the animal
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. suit — to fit
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. game — wild animals

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