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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
468
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: fork · lie · current · tube · lash · mate · coach · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mate — to breed
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. tube — the underground
  12. staff — employees
  13. fork — in a road
  14. tube — a container
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mate — a friend
  18. current — electric
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. current — of water
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. current — happening now
  24. staff — employees

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