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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: wave · calf · bowl · branch · sharp · bound · chip · arm

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. chip — to eat
  7. branch — a division
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bound — tied together
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bound — certain

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