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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.

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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: branch · craft · suit · leaves · last · face · club · net

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. suit — clothes
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to point toward
  7. net — for catching
  8. suit — to fit
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. club — for dancing
  11. face — to confront
  12. craft — a skill
  13. last — final
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. last — finally
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. net — after costs
  18. club — a group
  19. suit — in cards
  20. net — in sport
  21. craft — boats
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. last — to go on
  24. branch — a division

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