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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 120 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 · swing · bulb · bore · press · lash · mate · leaves

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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. coach — a trainer
  4. press — a publisher
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. swing — to play on
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bore — to drill
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — music
  14. mate — a friend
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bulb — for light

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