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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 120 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: wave · coach · rest · club · band · patient · spell · safe

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. club — for golf
  7. club — a group
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. club — for dancing
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. spell — letters
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. spell — magic
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rest — a break
  22. spell — a short time
  23. band — a ring
  24. safe — out of danger

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