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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: pop · staff · rock · sharp · lean · cap · can · season

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rock — a stone
  5. sharp — clever
  6. cap — of ice
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. season — of the year
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. season — in sport
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pop — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. lean — thin
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cap — a lid
  20. staff — employees
  21. cap — a hat
  22. staff — employees
  23. rock — music
  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