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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: bowl · coach · tube · bear · firm · rush · lash · net

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bear — the animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. net — after costs
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. tube — a container
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. net — in sport
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. net — for catching
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. tube — the underground
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rush — hurry

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