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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: straw · sharp · club · present · lash · racket · coach · pass

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. present — there
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. present — the time now
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. pass — a permit
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. present — a gift
  24. club — for golf

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