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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: spring · mug · can · coach · cabinet · pound · toast · straw

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. can — a tin
  3. spring — a coil
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. pound — a weight
  7. mug — a face
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. can — a tin
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. spring — of water
  13. mug — to rob
  14. toast — bread
  15. spring — the season
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. can — to be able to
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mug — a cup
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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