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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
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: leaves · stock · lean · march · fall · kick · bark · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bark — to shout
  4. fall — to drop
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. march — the month
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. march — the month
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stock — shares
  12. suit — clothes
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. stock — goods
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. kick — in football
  17. lean — thin
  18. fall — the season
  19. suit — in cards
  20. march — music
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. kick — a thrill

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