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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: fork · season · straw · branch · pop · stand · bulb · rush

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stand — to bear
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. season — in sport
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pop — soda
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. season — of the year
  17. pop — music
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pop — to visit
  24. stand — on your feet

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