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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: straw · press · spring · can · branch · bank · suit · fine

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. suit — in cards
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. spring — a coil
  5. can — to be able to
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bank — for money
  8. fine — all right
  9. spring — of water
  10. can — a tin
  11. bank — of a river
  12. press — newspapers
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bank — for money
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. branch — a division
  18. press — to push
  19. can — a tin
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. press — a publisher
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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