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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: hand · staff · bay · calf · craft · branch · stand · mine

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mine — for digging
  5. stand — to bear
  6. staff — a stick
  7. hand — in cards
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. hand — help
  13. staff — employees
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. branch — a division
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. staff — employees
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. hand — part of the body

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