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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: sharp · bass · suit · coach · fan · rest · wake · lash

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bass — low music
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. wake — a trail
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rest — a break
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rest — what's left
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — the fish
  24. suit — in cards

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