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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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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 · pop · saw · rock · lash · board · leaves · bore

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. board — a committee
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. pop — soda
  14. bore — to tire
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. saw — the tool
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. saw — the tool
  22. board — to get on
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rock — music

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