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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: sharp · branch · racket · band · craft · current · calf · hand

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. current — electric
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. band — a ring
  6. current — happening now
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. hand — help
  16. sharp — clever
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. current — of water
  20. hand — in cards
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. branch — a division
  23. band — a music group
  24. racket — for tennis

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