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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 120 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: spell · last · lean · branch · suit · stand · calf · trunk

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. spell — letters
  6. suit — clothes
  7. last — final
  8. spell — magic
  9. suit — in cards
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stand — to bear
  12. lean — to bend
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. suit — to fit
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. last — finally
  17. branch — a division
  18. last — to go on
  19. lean — thin
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stand — on your feet

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