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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: arm · fan · bound · season · lean · cabinet · fall · sharp

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lean — thin
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bound — certain
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fall — the season
  9. bound — obliged
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. season — in sport
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fall — to drop
  17. season — of the year
  18. bound — tied together
  19. sharp — clever
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. lean — to bend
  24. sharp — with an edge

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