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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: chest · stand · bound · prune · rock · net · calf · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. chest — of your body
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bound — tied together
  8. net — after costs
  9. chest — a box
  10. prune — to trim
  11. net — in sport
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. lean — thin
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lean — to bend
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. rock — music
  20. net — for catching
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bound — certain
  24. stand — to bear

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