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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: band · leaves · foot · lash · lean · mine

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — a measure
  7. band — a ring
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mine — for digging
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. band — a music group
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to bend
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mine — an explosive

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