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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
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: cabinet · hand · suit · perch · bass · trunk · roll · plane

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. plane — a tool
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. roll — a list
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — in cards
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bass — the fish
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. roll — a cake
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. plane — in geometry

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