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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: squash · current · lean · leaves · branch · temple · land · cabinet

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. current — electric
  4. lean — to bend
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. current — happening now
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. land — a country
  12. current — of water
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. land — to come down
  20. branch — a division
  21. lean — thin
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. land — ground
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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