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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: safe · lean · bank · season · kick · straw · bear · rock

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. lean — thin
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. season — in sport
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bank — of a river
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. rock — music
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bank — for money
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bank — for money
  17. kick — in football
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bear — the animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lean — to bend

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