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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. suit — clothes
  4. branch — a division
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. clip — a video
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. suit — in cards
  10. clip — to cut
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rash — hasty
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. charge — a price
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. charge — electricity
  19. clip — for paper
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rash — a series
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. charge — in control

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