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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: rush · season · temple · fall · straw · bank · club · jam

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. fall — the season
  5. bank — of a river
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fall — to drop
  9. club — for golf
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. club — a group
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rush — hurry
  17. season — in sport
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bank — for money
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bank — for money

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