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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: kick · stock · leaves · track · branch · land · safe · toast

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. track — a song
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. land — a country
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kick — in football
  11. toast — bread
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. track — a path
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stock — shares
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. track — to keep track
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. stock — goods

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