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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.

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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: last · toast · fall · coach · rash · lash · staff · bay

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. last — final
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. staff — employees
  5. toast — bread
  6. staff — employees
  7. last — finally
  8. rash — hasty
  9. last — to go on
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rash — a series
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. staff — a stick

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