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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 · drill · calf · rock · bass · temple · cell · roll

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. drill — a practice
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. branch — a division
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — the tool
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — a list
  18. cell — in biology
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cell — a phone
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. temple — a place of worship

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