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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.

Make a worksheet

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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. spring — the season
  8. board — a committee
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. spring — a coil
  13. board — to get on
  14. season — in sport
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. spring — of water
  17. branch — a division
  18. hide — to keep secret

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