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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. court — of a king
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bear — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. branch — a division
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. court — of law
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. court — for sport
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. branch — of a tree

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