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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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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: season · rush · bear · foot · roll · calf · branch · arm

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. bear — the animal
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bear — the animal
  7. foot — a measure
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. season — of the year
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. roll — a cake
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. rush — hurry
  19. roll — a list
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. season — in sport
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. calf — of the leg

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