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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: lash · mate · bear · fan · firm · can · coach · arm

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. firm — steady
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bear — the animal
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. firm — a company
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. can — a tin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. firm — decided

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