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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: lean · vault · suit · cabinet · arm · bark · rush · bass

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. suit — to fit
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. bass — low music
  17. rush — hurry
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bass — the fish
  24. suit — clothes

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