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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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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: rash · wound · staff · saw · lie · bank · spell · foot

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  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. rash — a series
  2. rash — hasty
  3. wound — an injury
  4. foot — a measure
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spell — a short time
  9. saw — the tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. lie — to recline
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. saw — the tool
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. staff — employees
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. staff — a stick
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bank — for money
  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