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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: calf · lie · content · branch · season · mug · rock · band

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mug — a face
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rock — a stone
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — happy
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. band — a music group
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. season — in sport
  15. rock — music
  16. mug — to rob
  17. branch — a division
  18. lie — to recline
  19. season — of the year
  20. mug — a cup
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. band — a ring
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. band — a rubber band

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