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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · face · spring · fall · dip · cabinet · wave · trunk

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. suit — clothes
  3. spring — of water
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. face — to confront
  6. fall — to drop
  7. face — to point toward
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. spring — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — the season
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. spring — a coil
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. dip — to sink
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. cabinet — ministers

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