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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 116 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: coach · stem · drill · fan · lash · perch · band · lean

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. drill — the tool
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lean — thin
  9. stem — to come from
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. drill — a practice
  15. band — a ring
  16. lean — to bend
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. drill — army training
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. fan — a supporter

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