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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bass · court · trunk · rock · dip · fan · rush · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bass — the fish
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bass — low music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. court — of law
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. court — of a king
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. court — for sport
  17. rock — a stone
  18. dip — to sink
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rock — music

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