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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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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. march — music
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. branch — a division
  5. march — the month
  6. mate — a friend
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mate — to breed
  18. march — the month

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