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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: last · lash · wax · patient · bear · staff · coach · sharp

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. last — to go on
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. sharp — clever
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — employees
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. staff — a stick
  20. last — final
  21. last — finally
  22. wax — to grow
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wax — for sculpting

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