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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 · board · rash · present · wave · season · firm · coach

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. firm — decided
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. board — to get on
  4. present — the time now
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. firm — a company
  15. rash — hasty
  16. season — in sport
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. board — a committee
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. firm — steady
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rash — a series
  23. season — of the year
  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