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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: can · club · branch · calf · arm · fine · file · bound

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. club — for dancing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. club — for golf
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. can — a tin
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. can — to be able to
  16. can — a tin
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. branch — a division
  19. club — a group
  20. fine — all right
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. file — a document
  24. calf — a young animal

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