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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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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: wind · suit · patient · bowl · coach · mate · wave · bear

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wind — moving air
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mate — a partner
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mate — to breed
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wind — moving air
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bear — the animal

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