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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 · present · lash · bear · spell · ball · object · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fall — the season
  3. spell — letters
  4. fall — to drop
  5. saw — the tool
  6. present — there
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. spell — magic
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fall — to drop
  11. spell — a short time
  12. ball — a great time
  13. present — the time now
  14. object — a thing
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. present — a gift
  18. object — an aim
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. object — to protest
  23. bear — the animal
  24. saw — the tool

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