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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: calf · scale · mate · branch · rock · fan · stick · lean

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. branch — a division
  3. mate — a friend
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rock — music
  8. scale — in music
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rock — a stone
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mate — a partner
  19. lean — thin
  20. mate — to breed
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. lean — to bend

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