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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: rush · lash · sharp · pitcher · bay · fall · firm · press

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. firm — a company
  6. fall — the season
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. press — to push
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. firm — decided
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. fall — to drop

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