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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: sharp · branch · calf · mark · squash · firm · stem · bear

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  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. squash — the sport
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. firm — steady
  6. squash — to crush
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. branch — a division
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. firm — decided
  11. bear — the animal
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mark — a trace
  14. firm — a company
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. sharp — exactly
  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