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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
468
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: leaves · swing · pop · coach · can · snap · toast · lean

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. swing — to play on
  4. can — to be able to
  5. lean — thin
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. can — a tin
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. swing — music
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. can — a tin
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — bread
  20. pop — music
  21. swing — in golf
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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