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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: jam · roll · lean · staff · craft · branch · kid · pit

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. roll — a list
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. lean — thin
  5. craft — boats
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. kid — child
  10. pit — in a race
  11. staff — a stick
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. branch — a division
  14. staff — employees
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. kid — to tease
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. roll — a cake
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lean — to bend
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — a skill

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