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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 · toast · charge · fall · mark · suit · nail · wound

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. charge — in control
  3. wound — an injury
  4. lean — thin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fall — the season
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. fall — to drop
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. fall — to drop
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. charge — a price
  22. suit — in cards
  23. toast — bread
  24. nail — on a finger

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