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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
468
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: leaves · mark · firm · hide · branch · land · stick · roll

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. firm — steady
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. land — to come down
  10. firm — decided
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — a division
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. roll — a list
  18. land — a country
  19. roll — a cake
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. mark — a grade
  23. firm — a company
  24. leaves — to go away

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