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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 120 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: key · foot · lean · craft · rock · fall · clip · board

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. craft — boats
  3. clip — to cut
  4. clip — a video
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rock — a stone
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. foot — a measure
  11. craft — a skill
  12. board — a committee
  13. key — in music
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. clip — for paper
  17. board — to get on
  18. rock — music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fall — the season
  23. lean — thin
  24. craft — a handicraft

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