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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: bulb · patient · wound · branch · foot · bowl · calf · bank

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bank — for money
  6. bulb — for light
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. branch — a division
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bank — for money
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bank — of a river
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. calf — a young animal

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