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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: saw · tube · stand · coach · lash · clip · deal · board

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. clip — for paper
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. clip — a video
  10. stand — to bear
  11. clip — to cut
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. saw — the tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. tube — the underground
  19. board — to get on
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. tube — a container
  23. deal — to handle
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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