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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: leaves · suit · nail · mug · shower · pitch · fall · cabinet

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mug — a cup
  5. shower — rain
  6. mug — to rob
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. mug — a face
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fall — to drop
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. shower — to wash
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. suit — clothes

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