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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: clip · wave · lean · tear · branch · temple · leaves · board

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. lean — to bend
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. tear — from crying
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. board — to get on
  9. tear — from crying
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. clip — for paper
  14. lean — thin
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. board — a committee
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. clip — a video
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. clip — to cut
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. branch — a division

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