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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · game · season · coach · suit · lash · arm · leaves

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. suit — to fit
  3. game — a match
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. suit — clothes
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. staff — employees
  11. game — wild animals
  12. season — of the year
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. season — in sport
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. staff — employees
  24. season — to add flavour

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