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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 120 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: rush · sharp · lie · bay · racket · fall · bark · present

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. present — the time now
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. lie — to recline
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. present — there
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fall — to drop
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. fall — the season
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bark — to shout
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. present — a gift

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