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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: file · bat · rock · bowl · pass · branch · ball · patient

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rock — music
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. ball — a great time
  13. file — a document
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bat — the animal
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. ball — a dance

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