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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: lash · coach · content · safe · roll · rush · spell · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. spell — magic
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. roll — a cake
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — thin
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. content — happy
  15. roll — a list
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spell — letters
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. spell — a short time
  24. content — the amount

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