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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: mug · bay · can · roll · coach · lash · board · swing

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. can — a tin
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. mug — to rob
  6. swing — music
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. roll — a list
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. swing — in golf
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mug — a face
  14. swing — to play on
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. board — to get on
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. board — a committee
  24. coach — a trainer

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