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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 120 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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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 · bank · face · branch · straw · suit · clip · pass

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. suit — clothes
  3. clip — a video
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bank — for money
  8. snap — to click
  9. bank — for money
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. clip — to cut
  14. suit — in cards
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. branch — a division
  17. clip — for paper
  18. pass — a permit
  19. face — part of the head
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. suit — to fit
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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