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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: fine · branch · stem · craft · ball · staff · field · bound

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. branch — a division
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stem — to come from
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bound — certain
  11. staff — employees
  12. field — for sport
  13. bound — obliged
  14. fine — all right
  15. field — a subject
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. staff — employees
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. field — farmland
  24. branch — of a bank

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