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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 · pop · prune · content · last · tube · pass · foot

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. content — the amount
  3. pop — music
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. last — finally
  6. pop — soda
  7. last — final
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pop — to visit
  13. last — to go on
  14. foot — a measure
  15. tube — a container
  16. pass — a permit
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. lie — to recline
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. tube — the underground
  23. content — happy
  24. lie — an untruth

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