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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: season · cabinet · safe · leaves · branch · can · chest · march

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. season — of the year
  3. can — a tin
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. march — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. chest — of your body
  10. branch — a division
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chest — of your body
  13. march — the month
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. march — the month
  19. can — to be able to
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. season — in sport
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. can — a tin

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