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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.

Make a worksheet

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: trunk · pitch · bay · ground · pop · lash · lie · spell

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. bay — to keep at bay
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — magic
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pitch — completely
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pop — music
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. ground — a position
  18. pop — soda
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. trunk — of a car
  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