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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
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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: cap · lash · rash · track · key · kid · cue · coach

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. key — the most important part
  6. track — to keep track
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cap — a hat
  9. kid — child
  10. cue — for pool
  11. track — a path
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rash — hasty
  14. key — in music
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. kid — to tease
  22. cap — a lid
  23. key — for a lock
  24. track — a song

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