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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: face · present · branch · suit · racket · mark · calf · stick

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. face — to point toward
  3. mark — a grade
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. present — there
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. present — the time now
  12. face — part of the head
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. present — a gift
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. face — to confront
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mark — a trace
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. branch — a division
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — clothes

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