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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: ground · calf · pass · kick · bank · cell · branch · plane

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cell — a phone
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bank — for money
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bank — for money
  10. ground — the earth
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ground — crushed
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. kick — in football
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bank — of a river
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. ground — a position
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pass — to spend time

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