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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 120 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
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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: bass · season · perch · leaves · suit · march · trunk · straw

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bass — the fish
  7. suit — to fit
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. suit — clothes
  10. march — the month
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. march — the month
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. march — music
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — of the year
  18. suit — in cards
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. trunk — of a tree

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