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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 116 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: dip · lean · rule · firm · hand · chair · key · wound

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. wound — an injury
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. lean — thin
  5. chair — a leader
  6. lean — to bend
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wound — an injury
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. dip — to sink
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. hand — help
  16. rule — a law
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rule — government
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. firm — steady
  21. key — in music
  22. firm — decided
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. firm — a company

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