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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — a division
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. net — in sport

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