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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
468
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: pass · craft · calf · fine · spell · branch · bear · wind

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bear — the animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. branch — a division
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. craft — boats
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. spell — magic
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. spell — letters
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. fine — high quality
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. fine — all right

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