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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.

Make a worksheet

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: cabinet · rock · bear · calf · arm · wound · branch · saw

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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. rock — a stone
  4. branch — a division
  5. saw — the tool
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rock — music
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. wound — an injury

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