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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: cabinet · charge · suit · trunk · foot · fall · rush · file

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fall — the season
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. charge — a price
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rush — hurry
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a tool
  17. suit — in cards
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. foot — a measure
  22. file — a document
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. charge — in control

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