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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: sharp · roll · fall · lash · present · pit · kick · bay

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. pit — a hole
  6. kick — in football
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. fall — to drop
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. roll — a cake
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. present — there
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. present — the time now
  18. pit — in a race
  19. present — a gift
  20. fall — to drop
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. roll — a list

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