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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: deal · present · mouse · foot · spell · suit · chest · lean

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  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. suit — in cards
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. chest — of your body
  9. suit — clothes
  10. present — there
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chest — of your body
  16. present — the time now
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lean — to bend
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chest — a box
  21. spell — letters
  22. present — a gift
  23. deal — to handle
  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