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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.

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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: mate · bank · mug · fork · spring · last · board · wax

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bank — of a river
  5. spring — of water
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. last — final
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. spring — a coil
  11. mate — to breed
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. bank — for money
  14. mug — to rob
  15. spring — the season
  16. last — to go on
  17. mug — a face
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bank — for money
  23. last — finally
  24. wax — to grow

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