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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.

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: track · degree · calf · craft · swing · staff · branch · cap

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. swing — to play on
  4. craft — a skill
  5. branch — a division
  6. cap — a lid
  7. staff — employees
  8. track — a song
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. degree — an amount
  11. degree — temperature
  12. cap — of ice
  13. craft — boats
  14. cap — a hat
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. track — to keep track
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. degree — from a university
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. swing — in golf
  21. swing — music
  22. staff — a stick
  23. track — a path
  24. staff — employees

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