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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: lean · object · bay · clip · rule · foot · rash · coach

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. clip — to cut
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. lean — thin
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rule — a law
  14. clip — a video
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rule — government
  21. object — an aim
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. coach — a trainer

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