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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: rush · suit · racket · foot · bass · lean · fan · wound

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wound — an injury
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. lean — thin
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bass — low music
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lean — to bend
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bass — the fish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. foot — a measure
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bass — the instrument

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