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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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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: lash · press · perch · calf · pit · present · sharp · bay

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. perch — the fish
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pit — a hole
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. present — there
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pit — in a race
  12. press — to push
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. press — newspapers
  20. present — a gift
  21. press — a publisher
  22. sharp — clever
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. sharp — with an edge

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