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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: suit · cabinet · object · lean · plane · mark · bat · straw

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. lean — to bend
  8. object — to protest
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. mark — a trace
  12. plane — a tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. object — a thing
  20. lean — thin
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. mark — a grade

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