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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: branch · mate · object · staff · toast · mine · roll · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. roll — a cake
  6. toast — bread
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. object — a thing
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rock — music
  11. roll — a list
  12. mate — a friend
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. staff — employees
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mate — to breed
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. staff — employees
  21. branch — a division
  22. staff — a stick
  23. mine — for digging
  24. toast — the most admired

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