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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: saw · leaves · wax · spring · mine · foot · lash · bank

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mine — for digging
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — of a river
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — of water
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. spring — the season
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

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