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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
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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: can · prune · squash · lie · foot · lean · cabinet · rest

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. can — a tin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. prune — to trim
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. lie — to recline
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. can — to be able to
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. can — a tin
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lean — thin
  24. foot — a measure

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