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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: rush · toast · coach · drill · pass · mine · patient · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. drill — army training
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. drill — the tool
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rush — hurry
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. wound — an injury
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pass — to succeed

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