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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 · lean · pass · leaves · can · roll · straw · ruler

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. can — a tin
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lean — to bend
  7. can — a tin
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. roll — a list
  17. pop — soda
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pop — music
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. can — to be able to
  22. roll — a cake
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. lean — thin

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