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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: object · lean · saw · prune · last · chip · stock · foot

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. chip — to eat
  4. object — to protest
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. saw — the tool
  7. last — finally
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stock — goods
  13. last — final
  14. object — an aim
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stock — shares
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — thin
  19. chip — for betting
  20. lean — to bend
  21. last — to go on
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. object — a thing

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