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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: rock · hand · leaves · branch · content · lean · bank · row

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rock — a stone
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. content — the amount
  6. bank — for money
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bank — for money
  10. row — to paddle
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. lean — thin
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lean — to bend
  18. content — happy
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. row — a line
  22. hand — help
  23. rock — music
  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