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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: saw · spring · chip · cabinet · bear · lie · wax · suit

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. spring — a coil
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spring — of water
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wax — to grow
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chip — for betting
  21. spring — the season
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. suit — in cards
  24. lie — an untruth

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