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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 chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — an aim
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bank — for money
  10. content — the amount
  11. branch — a division
  12. bank — of a river
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. object — a thing
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bank — for money
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. content — happy

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