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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: track · bound · mug · lash · rush · coach · land · rest

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. rest — a break
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. track — a path
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bound — certain
  12. track — a song
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. track — to keep track
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. land — to come down
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mug — a face
  20. land — ground
  21. land — a country
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bound — obliged

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