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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: stem · branch · leaves · chair · last · field · safe · current

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. current — happening now
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. field — a subject
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. last — to go on
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stem — to come from
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. field — for sport
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. last — finally
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. last — final
  19. current — electric
  20. field — farmland
  21. branch — a division
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. chair — a leader
  24. current — of water

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