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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 · foot · mine · current · leaves · fine · branch · saw

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. current — of water
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fine — all right
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — electric
  17. mine — for digging
  18. kick — in football
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. foot — a measure
  24. branch — a division

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