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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: present · bank · ruler · straw · rush · pass · season · branch

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bank — for money
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — a division
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. present — a gift
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. present — there
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. present — the time now
  15. season — in sport
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. pass — a permit
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bank — of a river
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bank — for money
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. ruler — for measuring

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