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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 116 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: wound · staff · plane · pop · coach · lash · trunk · bay

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. staff — employees
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. wound — an injury
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. staff — employees
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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