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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: band · rock · key · sharp · lie · trunk · lean · foot

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. lean — thin
  3. band — a ring
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. key — for a lock
  6. lie — to recline
  7. rock — music
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. key — in music
  16. foot — a measure
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rock — a stone
  20. lean — to bend
  21. key — the most important part
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. sharp — clever
  24. foot — part of the body

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