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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: board · patient · lean · scale · rock · mark · press · branch

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. scale — in music
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. scale — size or range
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — to get on
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. branch — a division
  10. press — a publisher
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. board — a committee
  14. rock — music
  15. mark — a trace
  16. press — to push
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rock — a stone
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. press — newspapers

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