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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.

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: content · stick · stock · lean · leaves · branch · foot · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. content — happy
  5. lean — to bend
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. stock — goods
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. branch — a division
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stock — shares
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. foot — a measure
  21. content — the amount
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. lean — thin

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