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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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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: spell · calf · fine · dip · branch · hand · firm · stand

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. firm — decided
  3. dip — to sink
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. spell — magic
  6. firm — a company
  7. spell — letters
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. hand — in cards
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. hand — help
  12. stand — to bear
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fine — high quality
  16. firm — steady
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. branch — a division
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. fine — all right
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. branch — of a tree

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