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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · object · charge · date · bear · leaves · bank · stand

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. object — an aim
  4. bear — the animal
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. object — to protest
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. object — a thing
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bank — for money
  19. charge — in control
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bank — of a river
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. leaves — lets stay

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