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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. rush — hurry
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. branch — a division
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. season — in sport
  19. stock — shares
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. stock — goods

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