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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: lie · suit · fall · staff · row · lash

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. row — a line
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. suit — to fit
  15. row — to paddle
  16. fall — the season
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. staff — employees

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