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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: racket · safe · hide · rash · coach · stick · branch · patient

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. branch — a division
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. racket — for tennis

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