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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 116 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: dip · swing · suit · bear · leaves · fall

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. swing — in golf
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fall — the season
  8. swing — music
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bear — the animal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. bear — the animal
  18. leaves — lets stay

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