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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: board · mug · saw · present · last · fork · leaves · branch

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. branch — a division
  5. board — a committee
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. saw — the tool
  8. last — final
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mug — a face
  11. present — the time now
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. last — to go on
  15. last — finally
  16. present — there
  17. mug — a cup
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. present — a gift
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mug — to rob
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. board — to get on

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