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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. suit — clothes
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — to fit
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bass — the fish
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fall — to drop
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bass — low music
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lean — thin

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