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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 · rule · track · file · rock · cabinet · ball · lash

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. track — a song
  7. file — a line of people
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rule — government
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. track — to keep track
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. track — a path
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. file — a document
  18. rule — a law
  19. rock — a stone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. file — a tool

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