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

Word bank: stand · band · drill · fall · trunk · suit · pop · cabinet

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. band — a music group
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pop — to visit
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. fall — to drop
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. fall — the season
  10. drill — the tool
  11. fall — to drop
  12. drill — army training
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. pop — music
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. band — a ring
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. pop — soda

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