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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: craft · track · cell · wound · scale · calf · charge · branch

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. charge — a price
  3. scale — size or range
  4. wound — an injury
  5. branch — a division
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cell — a phone
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. scale — in music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. track — a path
  14. craft — boats
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. cell — in biology
  17. charge — electricity
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. track — a song
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. charge — in control
  24. wound — an injury

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