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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: capital · fine · leaves · lean · deal · tear · branch · staff

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. staff — a stick
  3. fine — all right
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. deal — to handle
  6. capital — a city
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fine — high quality
  9. branch — a division
  10. lean — to bend
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. capital — money
  23. lean — thin
  24. tear — from crying

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