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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
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: coach · land · lash · mate · staff · squash · fan · can

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. mate — a friend
  6. staff — a stick
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. can — a tin
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. can — a tin
  12. mate — to breed
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. land — ground
  15. land — a country
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. can — to be able to
  19. staff — employees
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mate — a partner
  22. staff — employees
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. coach — a trainer

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