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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.

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: leaves · mate · branch · squash · safe · cap · pit · season

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mate — to breed
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. mate — a partner
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mate — a friend
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. squash — the sport
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — in sport
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. branch — a division
  24. cap — a lid

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