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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: spring · lash · coach · deal · pass · key · bank · chest

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. key — for a lock
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. spring — of water
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. key — the most important part
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bank — for money
  16. chest — a box
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. bank — for money
  20. key — in music
  21. chest — of your body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chest — of your body
  24. bank — of a river

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