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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 116 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
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 · coach · fan · mug · bowl · lash · game · spell

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. cap — a hat
  3. game — wild animals
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. cap — of ice
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — letters
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. game — a match
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. spell — magic
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mug — a face

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