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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: lean · land · band · branch · nail · calf · bass · roll

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — low music
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — ground
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. branch — a division
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bass — the fish
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a music group
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. land — a country
  24. roll — a list

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