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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bank · season · straw · object · present · roll · stand · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. staff — employees
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. present — a gift
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. roll — a list
  11. season — in sport
  12. present — there
  13. bank — of a river
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. present — the time now
  16. season — of the year
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. object — a thing
  19. staff — employees
  20. roll — a cake
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bank — for money
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bank — for money

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