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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: cabinet · wave · fall · temple · leaves · season · stand · bark

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. 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. fall — to drop
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fall — to drop
  4. season — of the year
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. fall — the season
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bark — to shout
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. season — in sport
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. 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