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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: bowl · last · pass · present · fall · mug · lash · lean

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. present — the time now
  3. lean — to bend
  4. last — finally
  5. fall — the season
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mug — a face
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. last — to go on
  14. fall — to drop
  15. present — a gift
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mug — a cup
  18. last — final
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. present — there
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. lean — thin
  23. mug — to rob
  24. lash — to lash out

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