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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 120 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: board · lash · present · coach · club · sharp · season · tube

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. tube — a container
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. board — to get on
  7. present — the time now
  8. sharp — clever
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. season — of the year
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. season — in sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. present — a gift
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. tube — the underground
  21. board — a committee
  22. club — for golf
  23. present — there
  24. club — for dancing

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