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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.

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: lash · band · tube · track · coach · toast · craft · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. band — a music group
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. craft — boats
  10. track — to keep track
  11. tube — the underground
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. band — a ring
  20. tube — a container
  21. craft — a skill
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. craft — a handicraft

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