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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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468
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 · bank · wave · prune · stock · cell · season · swing

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cell — a phone
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. swing — music
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — in biology
  11. bank — for money
  12. season — of the year
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. stock — goods
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stock — shares
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. season — in sport
  23. bank — of a river
  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