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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. prune — to trim
  3. branch — a division
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. kick — in football
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. prune — to trim
  15. net — in sport
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. net — for catching
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. net — after costs
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bat — the animal
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bat — for baseball

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