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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
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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: deal · bear · kid · hand · branch · can · craft · lean

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bear — the animal
  4. craft — a skill
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. can — a tin
  9. hand — help
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. lean — thin
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. kid — to tease
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. deal — to handle
  21. lean — to bend
  22. craft — boats
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — child

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