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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: wax · patient · straw · saw · bore · cabinet · bank · lie

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. wax — to grow
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bore — to tire
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bank — for money
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. patient — a sick person

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