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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: race · cold · fork · cabinet · suit · leaves · trunk · deal

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. race — humankind
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fork — in a road
  9. race — a contest
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. suit — to fit
  15. cold — not warm
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. cold — an illness
  18. race — the arms race
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. deal — an agreement

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