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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.

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: fall · bowl · bass · rest · trunk · ball · spring · cap

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cap — a hat
  6. fall — to drop
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. fall — to drop
  9. spring — the season
  10. bass — low music
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rest — a break
  13. spring — of water
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cap — of ice
  22. spring — a coil
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rest — what's left

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