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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · firm · foot · mate · wound · leaves · tube · wind

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wound — an injury
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — letters
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mate — to breed
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — a container
  14. mate — a friend
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. wound — an injury
  17. mate — a partner
  18. firm — steady
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. foot — a measure
  21. wind — moving air
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — a company
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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