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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: foot · wax · last · coach · bear · staff · safe · lean

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. staff — a stick
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. last — final
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. lean — thin
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. last — to go on
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. foot — a measure
  19. last — finally
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bear — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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