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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: branch · date · craft · roll · bank · lash · stand · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. craft — boats
  4. bank — for money
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bank — of a river
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bank — for money
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. craft — a skill
  17. stand — to bear
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. branch — a division
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. date — the fruit
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — a cake
  24. stand — on your feet

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