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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: suit · fall · leaves · kick · lie · fan · ruler · bass

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. kick — in football
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fall — the season
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. fall — to drop
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ruler — for measuring

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