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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: snap · fan · fall · season · branch · stand · rush · pop

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. season — in sport
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pop — music
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — to visit
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. branch — a division
  13. rush — hurry
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. snap — to click
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. season — of the year
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rush — to hurry

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