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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.

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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: cabinet · racket · suit · spell · hide · board · fan · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. board — a committee
  4. suit — to fit
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. spell — magic
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. spell — a short time
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. board — to get on
  16. fall — to drop
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fall — the season
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. spell — letters
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. racket — for tennis

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