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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 116 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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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: kick · mine · bank · capital · saw · wax · chair · bay

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. capital — money
  3. saw — the tool
  4. chair — a leader
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. kick — in football
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. bank — for money
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mine — for digging
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. capital — a city
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bank — for money

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