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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fall — to drop
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. fall — the season
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fall — to drop
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. kick — in football
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. deal — to handle

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