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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: lie · key · foot · wind · patient · root · wound · bore

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. key — in music
  4. root — of a plant
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. bore — to tire
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to drill
  14. root — the cause
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. root — of a word
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. lie — to recline
  21. wind — moving air
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. key — the most important part

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