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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: jam · deal · tube · lash · sharp · mark · coach · chest

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  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. coach — a trainer
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. tube — the underground
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. deal — to handle
  11. chest — a box
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. chest — of your body
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. sharp — clever
  20. tube — a container
  21. mark — a trace
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. chest — of your body
  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