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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: cell · calf · squash · content · cabinet · branch · wound · pitcher

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. content — the amount
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. branch — a division
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. cell — a phone
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. content — happy
  16. wound — an injury
  17. squash — to crush
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cell — in biology
  24. pitcher — a jug

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