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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 · pitcher · lash · stand · wind · lean · mate · calf

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mate — a partner
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wind — moving air
  13. mate — to breed
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. roll — a cake
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. roll — a list
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lean — thin
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lean — to rest against

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