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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · band · mine · bay · straw · branch · plane · bore

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. band — a music group
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bore — to tire
  15. branch — a division
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. band — a ring
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bore — to drill
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. leaves — lets stay

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