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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: press · coach · lash · bark · leaves · club · mouse · key

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. key — in music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. key — the most important part
  14. press — newspapers
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. key — for a lock
  18. club — a group
  19. club — for dancing
  20. press — to push
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. club — for golf
  24. mouse — the animal

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