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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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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: leaves · wake · bay · last · suit · rash · branch · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — a series
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rash — hasty
  12. wake — a trail
  13. branch — a division
  14. last — finally
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. last — final
  21. last — to go on
  22. saw — the tool
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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