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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · net · rest · saw · fall · lean · trunk · pop

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. net — for catching
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pop — soda
  5. rest — a break
  6. fall — the season
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pop — to visit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. net — after costs
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pop — music
  20. fall — to drop
  21. lean — to bend
  22. saw — the tool
  23. lean — thin
  24. net — in sport

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