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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 120 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: track · rock · bank · straw · safe · rush · spring · season

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bank — of a river
  7. track — a path
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bank — for money
  10. rock — music
  11. season — in sport
  12. rush — hurry
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bank — for money
  17. spring — a coil
  18. rock — a stone
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. track — a song
  21. spring — of water
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. season — of the year
  24. rush — to hurry

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