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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: mark · row · bound · fan · lean · key · mug · arm

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bound — tied together
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mug — a face
  9. lean — thin
  10. key — the most important part
  11. mug — a cup
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mug — to rob
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. key — in music
  16. bound — certain
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bound — obliged
  23. row — a line
  24. fan — to cool the air

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