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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: deal · dip · lean · wave · toast · key · stick · wind

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wind — moving air
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. key — for a lock
  9. lean — thin
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. deal — to handle
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. wind — moving air
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. key — in music

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