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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. fine — all right
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wind — moving air
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. band — a music group
  10. wind — moving air
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. firm — a company
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lean — to bend
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to click
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. firm — decided
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. firm — steady
  22. band — a ring
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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