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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.

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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: racket · stem · leaves · rest · fall · kick · suit · scale

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stem — to come from
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. kick — in football
  7. fall — to drop
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. fall — the season
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rest — what's left
  20. scale — in music
  21. rest — a break
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. kick — with a leg

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