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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: row · season · coach · lean · bound · patient · rash · rest

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. row — a line
  3. rash — a series
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lean — to bend
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lean — thin
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rash — hasty
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rest — what's left
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bound — certain
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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