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

Word bank: leaves · board · arm · suit · kid · bank · ruler · branch

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — child
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. suit — clothes
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. kid — to tease
  9. bank — of a river
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. board — to get on
  15. branch — a division
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bank — for money
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. board — a committee
  21. bank — for money
  22. suit — in cards
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. suit — to fit

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