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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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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: rest · suit · present · bear · wake · lie · trunk · bass

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. rest — a break
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. present — a gift
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. present — there
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bass — low music
  12. suit — clothes
  13. present — the time now
  14. bass — the fish
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rest — what's left
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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