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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: prune · leaves · lean · present · craft · hide · content · lie

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. present — a gift
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. content — the amount
  7. prune — to trim
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. prune — to trim
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lie — to recline
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. craft — a skill
  14. present — there
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. content — happy
  18. present — the time now
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. craft — boats

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