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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.

Make a worksheet

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: capital · lash · can · coach · mine · mate · straw · suit

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. can — a tin
  5. suit — clothes
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. mate — a partner
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. mate — a friend
  11. capital — a city
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. can — a tin
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. capital — money
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mate — to breed
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mine — for digging

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