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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.

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 · kick · press · row · branch · season · suit · bear

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. kick — in football
  3. suit — in cards
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. branch — a division
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bear — the animal
  9. suit — clothes
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — in sport
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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