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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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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: lash · firm · scale · stick · craft · suit · coach · rest

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. scale — size or range
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. suit — clothes
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. firm — decided
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. craft — a skill
  11. suit — to fit
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. scale — in music
  16. craft — boats
  17. firm — steady
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rest — a break
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — in cards
  22. firm — a company
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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