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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: lash · fan · coach · press · firm · wax · pitch · club

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. club — for dancing
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. press — a publisher
  12. club — a group
  13. pitch — completely
  14. wax — to grow
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. firm — steady
  19. press — newspapers
  20. club — for golf
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. press — to push
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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