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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. drill — the tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. drill — a practice
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. content — the amount
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. drill — army training
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. content — happy
  21. chair — a leader
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. chair — to sit on

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