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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: craft · prune · branch · spell · calf · bank · rule · squash

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. craft — boats
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. craft — a skill
  7. prune — to trim
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. squash — the sport
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. spell — letters
  16. rule — government
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bank — of a river
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. rule — a law
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. squash — to crush

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