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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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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: stand · branch · dip · bank · club · stick · hide · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. club — for golf
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. club — a group
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bank — for money
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bank — of a river
  14. branch — a division
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. club — for dancing
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stand — for spectators

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