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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. scale — in music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bass — low music
  9. rock — music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. present — a gift
  12. scale — size or range
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. present — there
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bass — the fish
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. row — a line
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. present — the time now
  24. rock — a stone

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