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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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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: spring · leaves · suit · firm · stick · trunk · ground · mouse

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. firm — a company
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. spring — the season
  5. firm — steady
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. spring — of water
  9. ground — crushed
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — the earth
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. spring — a coil
  23. firm — decided
  24. trunk — of a car

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