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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: branch · leaves · calf · saw · content · tube · cabinet · rash

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. content — happy
  5. branch — a division
  6. saw — the tool
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. tube — the underground
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rash — hasty
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. saw — the tool
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — videos and posts

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