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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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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 · bark · lean · charge · wake · leaves · face · sharp

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. sharp — clever
  3. charge — in control
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. charge — electricity
  7. face — to confront
  8. bark — to shout
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. wake — a trail
  14. face — to point toward
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. charge — a price
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. lean — to bend

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