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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
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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: lean · foot · key · board · season · cell · branch · staff

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cell — in biology
  3. board — a committee
  4. board — to get on
  5. season — in sport
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. cell — a phone
  8. foot — a measure
  9. branch — a division
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. key — for a lock
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — thin
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. season — of the year
  16. staff — a stick
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. staff — employees
  21. key — the most important part
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. staff — employees
  24. branch — of a tree

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