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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. branch — a division
  5. rule — government
  6. bark — to shout
  7. charge — electricity
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. swing — to play on
  10. swing — in golf
  11. charge — in control
  12. bank — for money
  13. rule — a law
  14. craft — boats
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bank — for money
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. swing — music
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bank — of a river
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. charge — a price

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