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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: prune · lean · rest · lie · swing · chair · bank · plane

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chair — a leader
  6. swing — to play on
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. rest — what's left
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. swing — music
  14. bank — for money
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bank — for money
  18. plane — a tool
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rest — a break

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