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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 120 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: rest · deal · patient · wake · rash · ball · coach · bank

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — a series
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. wake — a trail
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rest — what's left
  10. deal — to handle
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bank — for money
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bank — for money

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