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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 120 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: fan · dip · trunk · racket · rest · saw · cabinet · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. dip — to sink
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. saw — the tool
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rest — a break
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rush — hurry
  24. rest — what's left

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