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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: roll · sharp · present · lash · mouse · object · trunk · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. object — an aim
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lean — to bend
  12. object — a thing
  13. present — a gift
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. roll — a list
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. present — the time now
  18. object — to protest
  19. lean — thin
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. present — there
  22. roll — a cake
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. mouse — the animal

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