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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: fine · wax · saw · stem · bank · capital · fall · lean

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bank — of a river
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bank — for money
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lean — to bend
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. fine — all right
  11. bank — for money
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. lean — thin
  14. fall — the season
  15. saw — the tool
  16. capital — money
  17. stem — to come from
  18. saw — the tool
  19. capital — a city
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. fine — high quality
  23. wax — to grow
  24. fall — to drop

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