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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · row · bear · branch · wave · calf · band · temple

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a ring
  4. bear — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. row — a line
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. band — a music group
  18. bear — the animal
  19. branch — a division
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. wave — with your hand

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