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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 116 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: trunk · suit · firm · swing · rest · wax · pop · fall

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pop — to visit
  4. firm — steady
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. suit — clothes
  7. swing — music
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rest — a break
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rest — what's left
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. suit — to fit
  20. firm — decided
  21. suit — in cards
  22. firm — a company
  23. fall — the season
  24. pop — music

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