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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.

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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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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: deal · lash · coach · craft · firm · bank · patient · rock

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. firm — steady
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bank — for money
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bank — of a river
  13. firm — a company
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rock — music
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. firm — decided
  20. deal — to handle
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. lash — to lash out

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