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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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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: branch · chip · present · bank · pit · straw · firm · spring

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — the season
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. present — there
  9. firm — decided
  10. chip — to eat
  11. branch — a division
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bank — for money
  14. present — a gift
  15. firm — a company
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. spring — a coil
  18. pit — in a race
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. present — the time now
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. firm — steady
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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