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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: bay · roll · branch · kick · pound · squash · can · craft

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. craft — a skill
  7. roll — a list
  8. squash — the sport
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. branch — a division
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. can — a tin
  17. pound — a weight
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. craft — boats
  22. squash — to crush
  23. kick — in football
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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