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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: pit · lash · game · mouse · net · coach · ball · toast

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. game — a match
  5. ball — a great time
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. net — for catching
  9. toast — bread
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. game — wild animals
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pit — a hole
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pit — in a race
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. lash — to lash out

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