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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: leaves · staff · branch · fall · temple · fan · suit · scale

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. suit — clothes
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. staff — employees
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. fall — to drop
  10. scale — in music
  11. staff — employees
  12. branch — a division
  13. fall — to drop
  14. scale — size or range
  15. staff — a stick
  16. fall — the season
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. leaves — to go away

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