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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: lash · coach · bay · sharp · suit · club · tube · cue

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. club — for dancing
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. tube — a container
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. cue — a signal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. suit — to fit

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