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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: straw · cue · branch · bank · rest · present · fan · suit

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bank — for money
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — a signal
  13. present — a gift
  14. rest — a break
  15. present — the time now
  16. branch — a division
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bank — of a river
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bank — for money
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. suit — clothes

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