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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: craft · branch · calf · bark · stock · saw · can · wound

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stock — shares
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. saw — the tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wound — an injury
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bark — to shout
  23. branch — a division
  24. can — to be able to

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