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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: rash · lash · toast · coach · bay · charge · land · court

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. land — a country
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. charge — a price
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. court — for sport
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. land — ground
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. court — of law
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. court — of a king
  16. rash — hasty
  17. charge — in control
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. rash — a series
  20. land — to come down
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. toast — bread
  24. charge — electricity

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