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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: cap · nail · lash · season · bass · perch · chip · coach

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. perch — the fish
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bass — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. cap — a lid
  10. chip — for betting
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bass — low music
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cap — of ice
  23. season — in sport
  24. cap — a hat

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