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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: toast · foot · lash · stick · wind · ruler

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. 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. foot — the bottom
  2. wind — moving air
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. toast — bread
  18. 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