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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: capital · safe · season · bank · straw · branch · march · plane

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. capital — a city
  3. plane — a tool
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. capital — money
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. march — the month
  8. season — of the year
  9. branch — a division
  10. bank — for money
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. march — music
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. march — the month
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bank — for money
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bank — of a river
  23. season — in sport
  24. safe — out of danger

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