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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: temple · scale · craft · patient · branch · mark · rock · pop

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. pop — to visit
  3. branch — a division
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pop — music
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mark — a grade
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pop — soda
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. craft — boats
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rock — music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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