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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: branch · mug · net · arm · can · degree · stand · calf

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. net — for catching
  3. can — a tin
  4. mug — to rob
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stand — to bear
  7. can — a tin
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. mug — a cup
  11. net — in sport
  12. degree — an amount
  13. mug — a face
  14. degree — temperature
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. degree — from a university
  21. net — after costs
  22. branch — a division
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. can — to be able to

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