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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.

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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: kid · coach · mark · snap · pass · stock · staff · lash

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. snap — to click
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. kid — child
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. staff — employees
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. kid — to tease
  16. staff — employees
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. staff — a stick
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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