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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · kid · can · mouse · band · staff · nail · coach

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. can — a tin
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. can — to be able to
  10. staff — employees
  11. can — a tin
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. kid — child
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. band — a ring
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. band — a music group
  24. nail — on a finger

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