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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: coach · content · spell · lash · race · staff · suit · pound

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. race — the arms race
  3. spell — letters
  4. staff — employees
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pound — a weight
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. suit — to fit
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. race — a contest
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. content — happy
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. suit — clothes
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. staff — a stick
  21. content — the amount
  22. staff — employees
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. race — humankind

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