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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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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: racket · lash · bay · lean · tear · suit · fall · wind

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. fall — the season
  3. suit — in cards
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fall — to drop
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. suit — to fit
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. tear — to rip
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wind — moving air
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lean — thin
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. tear — from crying

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