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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: bay · branch · calf · arm · kick · bore

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. kick — in football
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — to tire
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. branch — a division

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