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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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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: lash · ground · foot · cap · spell · roll · track · lean

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. track — a song
  5. lean — thin
  6. foot — a measure
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. spell — a short time
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. cap — a lid
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — a position
  15. spell — magic
  16. track — to keep track
  17. cap — a hat
  18. spell — letters
  19. cap — of ice
  20. track — a path
  21. ground — the earth
  22. roll — a cake
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lean — to bend

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