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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 120 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: coach · cap · lash · bulb · key · board · last · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. present — there
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. last — to go on
  8. key — in music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cap — a hat
  15. last — finally
  16. present — a gift
  17. board — a committee
  18. bulb — for light
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cap — of ice
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cap — a lid
  23. last — final
  24. coach — a trainer

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