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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mate · patient · mark · board · date · wave · row · season

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mark — a grade
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. season — of the year
  6. mark — a trace
  7. season — in sport
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mate — a friend
  10. row — to paddle
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. date — the fruit
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — a committee
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. row — a line
  22. board — to get on
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. row — a quarrel

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