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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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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: lean · swing · deal · cabinet · suit · stock · trunk · coach

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. swing — to play on
  3. suit — clothes
  4. deal — to handle
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. stock — shares
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. suit — to fit
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stock — goods
  12. swing — music
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. suit — in cards
  16. lean — thin
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. swing — in golf
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. deal — a big deal

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