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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: lean · coach · wound · wind · club · spell · toast · mug

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. club — for dancing
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. mug — a cup
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lean — thin
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wound — an injury
  15. club — a group
  16. toast — bread
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. mug — a face
  19. wound — an injury
  20. spell — letters
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. club — for golf
  24. lean — to bend

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