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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.

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: sharp · object · pop · lean · lie · pitch · fall · fork

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pop — soda
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. object — a thing
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pop — music
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. pitch — completely
  13. object — an aim
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. fork — in a road
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fall — the season
  22. pop — to visit
  23. object — to protest
  24. lean — thin

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