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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: hand · suit · scale · calf · bear · craft · branch · lash

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bear — the animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. suit — to fit
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. scale — in music
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. branch — a division
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. hand — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. craft — boats
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bear — the animal
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. suit — in cards

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