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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: leaves · branch · rash · calf · squash · rest · pound · jam

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. squash — the sport
  16. branch — a division
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rash — hasty
  21. pound — a weight
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rash — a series
  24. squash — the vegetable

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