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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: mark · season · bank · staff · firm · mug · row · straw

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bank — of a river
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. mug — a cup
  7. staff — employees
  8. mug — a face
  9. row — a line
  10. mug — to rob
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. staff — employees
  15. season — in sport
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. staff — a stick
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. firm — a company
  20. bank — for money
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bank — for money
  24. firm — decided

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