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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: mug · suit · ground · leaves · chair · toast · branch · club

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. toast — bread
  11. club — for dancing
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. ground — the earth
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. club — for golf
  16. ground — a position
  17. club — a group
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. branch — a division
  20. chair — a leader
  21. mug — a cup
  22. suit — to fit
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. ground — crushed

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