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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: safe · spring · nail · wax · coach · lean · stock · mark

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wax — to grow
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stock — goods
  12. mark — a trace
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. spring — of water
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spring — a coil
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stock — shares
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lean — thin

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