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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: leaves · prune · rock · staff · foot · fine · lie · fan

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. fine — high quality
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fine — all right
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rock — music
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. lie — to recline
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rock — a stone
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. staff — employees
  22. prune — to trim
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. rock — to move gently

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