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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 116 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: ground · pass · lie · fork · wax · prune · lean · leaves

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. ground — a position
  12. wax — to grow
  13. prune — to trim
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lean — thin
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. ground — crushed
  24. lean — to bend

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