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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: swing · rush · calf · plane · rest · leaves · kid · branch

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. branch — a division
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. kid — to tease
  11. rest — what's left
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. swing — music
  21. kid — child
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. rest — a break

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