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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bank — of a river
  3. field — a subject
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bear — the animal
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. field — for sport
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. bear — the animal
  12. branch — a division
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. firm — decided
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bank — for money
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bank — for money
  19. field — farmland
  20. firm — steady
  21. season — in sport
  22. firm — a company
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. season — of the year

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