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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: rash · bat · mouse · press · patient · toast · coach · board

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. board — a committee
  10. bat — the animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. toast — bread
  15. press — a publisher
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. rash — a series
  22. press — to push
  23. board — to get on
  24. rash — hasty

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