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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.

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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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. staff — employees
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. track — a path
  10. staff — employees
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. club — for golf
  14. track — a song
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. track — to keep track
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. fine — all right
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. staff — a stick

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