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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: rest · branch · present · board · roll · club · season · straw

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. club — a group
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. board — to get on
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. rest — a break
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. roll — a cake
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. club — for dancing
  17. board — a committee
  18. branch — a division
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. present — the time now
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. club — for golf

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