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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: rash · coach · sharp · toast · band · club · kid · can

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. band — a ring
  5. club — for golf
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. can — to be able to
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. club — a group
  11. kid — child
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. kid — to tease
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. band — a music group
  16. rash — a series
  17. can — a tin
  18. club — for dancing
  19. sharp — clever
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. can — a tin
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. toast — bread
  24. rash — hasty

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