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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: safe · leaves · branch · mine · stock · board

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stock — shares
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. board — to get on
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mine — for digging
  14. branch — a division
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — a committee
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods

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