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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: suit · current · mark · cue · bear · patient · coach · last

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. last — finally
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mark — a grade
  8. current — of water
  9. bear — the animal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. suit — to fit
  12. cue — for pool
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. current — happening now
  15. last — to go on
  16. current — electric
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. suit — clothes
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. last — final
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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