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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: fork · season · straw · branch · pop · stand

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pop — to visit
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. pop — soda
  12. branch — a division
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. stand — to bear
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pop — music

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