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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: season · staff · foot · wake · stick · wind · bound · temple

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. season — in sport
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wind — moving air
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. season — of the year
  16. bound — obliged
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bound — tied together
  23. staff — a stick
  24. season — to add flavour

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