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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.

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: rest · suit · fall · fine · prune · spring · rush · perch

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fall — to drop
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fall — to drop
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. suit — to fit
  9. spring — of water
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. suit — in cards
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rush — hurry
  14. spring — a coil
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rest — a break
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fall — the season
  21. suit — clothes
  22. spring — the season
  23. rest — what's left
  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