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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: hand · can · lie · bass · suit · coach · lean · prune

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. can — a tin
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — in cards
  5. can — a tin
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lean — to bend
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lie — to recline
  11. hand — help
  12. suit — in cards
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. suit — clothes
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lean — thin
  24. prune — the fruit

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