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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: cabinet · season · spring · fork · staff · wax · bank · saw

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wax — to grow
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bank — for money
  6. season — of the year
  7. spring — of water
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spring — the season
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. staff — employees
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bank — of a river
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bank — for money
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. staff — a stick
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. spring — a coil
  24. staff — employees

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