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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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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: deal · coach · current · bass · patient · bound · row · wave

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. bass — the fish
  2. bound — tied together
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. current — of water
  6. bound — obliged
  7. row — a line
  8. row — to paddle
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. current — electric
  12. bass — low music
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bound — certain
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. current — happening now
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. coach — a trainer
  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