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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: leaves · fine · chest · board · branch · staff · march · rock

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. staff — employees
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. march — music
  9. branch — a division
  10. march — the month
  11. rock — music
  12. march — the month
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. fine — high quality
  17. staff — employees
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. chest — a box
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. fine — all right
  24. board — to get on

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