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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bay · coach · spell · patient · wave · mark · firm · degree

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. firm — decided
  6. spell — letters
  7. degree — temperature
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. degree — an amount
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. firm — a company
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. firm — steady
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. spell — magic

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