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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: foot · fall · lie · mark · calf · lash · bay · rock

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. fall — to drop
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mark — a trace
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fall — to drop
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. rock — music
  23. fall — the season
  24. calf — of the leg

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