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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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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: stand · calf · field · season · charge · snap · bank · rush

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. charge — electricity
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. stand — to bear
  9. snap — to click
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. field — farmland
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. charge — a price
  17. bank — for money
  18. charge — in control
  19. season — in sport
  20. field — for sport
  21. field — a subject
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. stand — for spectators

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