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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: patient · rash · coach · pop · root · chip · wave · rest

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rash — a series
  3. root — of a word
  4. chip — to eat
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rash — hasty
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pop — soda
  14. rest — a break
  15. chip — for betting
  16. root — the cause
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pop — to visit
  21. root — of a plant
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pop — music

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