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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: staff · race · calf · bay · branch · kick

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. 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. branch — of a bank
  2. staff — employees
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. staff — employees
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. kick — in football
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — the arms race
  14. branch — a division
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. staff — a stick
  17. race — a contest
  18. 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