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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.

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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: rash · fall · trunk · spring · safe · suit · perch · kick

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rash — a series
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — in cards
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. perch — the fish
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. fall — the season
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. suit — clothes
  19. spring — of water
  20. rash — hasty
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. suit — to fit
  24. kick — in football

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