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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 120 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: band · season · calf · pop · branch · bay · rock · hide

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pop — music
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. band — a music group
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. season — of the year
  14. pop — to visit
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. season — in sport
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. band — a ring

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