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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: suit · mine · lash · coach · charge · foot · rush · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. suit — clothes
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bear — the animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. charge — electricity
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. rush — hurry
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. suit — in cards
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — for digging
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. suit — to fit

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