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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.

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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: shower · rule · coach · race · patient · charge

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. shower — rain
  5. race — the arms race
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. charge — in control
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — a law
  11. charge — a price
  12. race — humankind
  13. charge — electricity
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. race — a contest
  18. shower — to wash

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