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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: hide · toast · can · coach · rash · lean · rest · club

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lean — thin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. club — a group
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. rash — a series
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. club — for dancing
  10. can — a tin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. can — a tin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rest — what's left
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rest — a break
  18. can — to be able to
  19. lean — to bend
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. club — for golf
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. toast — bread
  24. rest — what's left

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