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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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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: wound · key · last · lean · foot · mug

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. mug — a cup
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. key — in music
  7. last — to go on
  8. key — the most important part
  9. foot — a measure
  10. last — finally
  11. mug — a face
  12. last — final
  13. wound — an injury
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mug — to rob
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. wound — an injury

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