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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.

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: lean · mouse · race · chest · tube · leaves · branch · coach

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. race — the arms race
  3. lean — to bend
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. branch — a division
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. lean — thin
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. tube — a container
  11. chest — a box
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. chest — of your body
  16. race — humankind
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. tube — the underground
  19. race — a contest
  20. chest — of your body
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mouse — the animal

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