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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: club · racket · straw · bay · stand · lash

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. club — a group
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. club — for golf
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear

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