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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: deal · lash · cold · safe · rush · coach · craft · object

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. object — a thing
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. object — to protest
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. object — an aim
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. cold — not warm
  20. craft — boats
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. deal — to handle
  24. safe — out of danger

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