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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: object · cabinet · firm · coach · mine · wave · tube · patient

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. firm — a company
  4. object — a thing
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mine — for digging
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. firm — decided
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. tube — a container
  23. firm — steady
  24. coach — a trainer

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