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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: tube · dip · rock · coach · lash · pit · perch · court

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. dip — to sink
  6. tube — the underground
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. perch — the fish
  10. tube — a container
  11. court — for sport
  12. rock — a stone
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. rock — music
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. court — of a king
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pit — a hole
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. court — of law

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