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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: bank · date · branch · leaves · suit · cabinet · hand · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. branch — a division
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. spring — of water
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bank — of a river
  7. hand — help
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. spring — a coil
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bank — for money
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hand — in cards
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bank — for money
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. date — the fruit
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. hand — part of the body

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