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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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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: lean · straw · lash · charge · club · wave · deal · coach

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. charge — in control
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. lean — thin
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. charge — electricity
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. club — for golf
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. charge — a price
  24. deal — to handle

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