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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: patient · lash · bound · drill · coach · bay · leaves · toast

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bound — certain
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. toast — bread
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bound — tied together
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. leaves — to go away

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