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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: bear · key · lash · lean · mine · band · spell · rush

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bear — the animal
  8. key — the most important part
  9. spell — letters
  10. band — a music group
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. band — a ring
  14. key — in music
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rush — hurry
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. spell — magic
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. lean — to rest against

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