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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: staff · swing · bear · ball · stand · branch · lash · coach

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. staff — employees
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. swing — in golf
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. swing — to play on
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. ball — a dance
  15. branch — a division
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. swing — music
  21. stand — to bear
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. branch — of a bank

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