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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: staff · rash · lash · field · bay · coach · rest · board

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. rest — what's left
  3. field — farmland
  4. rest — a break
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. staff — employees
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. field — for sport
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. staff — a stick
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. board — a committee
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. board — to get on
  23. staff — employees
  24. lash — to lash out

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