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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: lie · tear · leaves · kick · foot · fan · perch · lean

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. tear — from crying
  5. lean — to bend
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. perch — the fish
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. tear — to rip
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. lean — thin
  12. foot — a measure
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. lie — to recline
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. tear — from crying
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. fan — a supporter

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