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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bound — certain
  6. clip — a video
  7. plane — a tool
  8. stem — to come from
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bound — obliged
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. court — of law
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. clip — for paper
  20. bound — tied together
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — for sport

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