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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.

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: staff · cabinet · object · spell · calf · field · dip · branch

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. spell — a short time
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. field — a subject
  6. staff — employees
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. staff — a stick
  9. field — for sport
  10. object — to protest
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. object — an aim
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. spell — letters
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. field — farmland
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. dip — to sink
  22. object — a thing
  23. staff — employees
  24. spell — magic

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