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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 116 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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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 · bowl · wave · row · patient · wake · bay · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. row — to paddle
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mate — a friend
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. row — a line
  21. wake — a trail
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chair — to sit on

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