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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: calf · cold · coach · toast · wave · sharp · root · patient

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. root — of a word
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. root — the cause
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. cold — an illness
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. cold — not warm
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. root — of a plant
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. toast — bread
  21. sharp — clever
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. sharp — exactly

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