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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: mate · calf · stem · bay · branch · ground · bore · hand

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. hand — in cards
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — to come from
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hand — help
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. mate — a partner
  12. branch — a division
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. ground — a position

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