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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 116 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: mark · craft · scale · rest · branch · ground · bore · patient

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. craft — a skill
  5. ground — a position
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mark — a grade
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bore — to tire
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ground — crushed
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. rest — a break
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — a division

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