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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.

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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: staff · lean · pit · rule · mate · dip · lash · coach

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. staff — a stick
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. dip — to sink
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mate — a partner
  9. staff — employees
  10. mate — a friend
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rule — government
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. lean — thin
  21. staff — employees
  22. rule — a law
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lean — to rest against

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