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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: foot · prune · rest · lie · lean · straw · bound · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. prune — to trim
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rest — what's left
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lean — thin
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pop — soda
  13. bound — obliged
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rest — a break
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. pop — to visit
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. foot — a measure
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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