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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: sharp · net · pitch · nail · suit · fall · lie · lash

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fall — the season
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. pitch — completely
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. net — in sport
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. net — for catching
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. net — after costs
  20. suit — clothes
  21. sharp — clever
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fall — to drop
  24. suit — in cards

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