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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.

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: toast · staff · branch · ball · lash · current · cell · leaves

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. current — happening now
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. staff — employees
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. branch — a division
  11. cell — a phone
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. ball — a great time
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. cell — in biology
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. ball — a dance
  18. current — of water
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. toast — bread
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. current — electric

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