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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: mug · calf · capital · branch · stick · plane · lash · firm

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — decided
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. firm — steady
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. capital — a city
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mug — a cup
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. mug — a face
  24. branch — a division

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