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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.

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: craft · jam · stem · arm · branch · calf · staff · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. file — a tool
  3. craft — boats
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. craft — a skill
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. staff — employees
  20. stem — to come from
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. file — a line of people
  24. arm — part of the body

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