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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.

Make a worksheet

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: patient · object · wax · rule · coach · rash · fork · spell

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — magic
  6. rash — hasty
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fork — in a road
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rash — a series
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. object — to protest
  16. rule — a law
  17. wax — to grow
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rule — government
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. object — a thing
  24. patient — a sick person

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