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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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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: pit · coach · row · lash · tube · rest · wake · patient

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rest — what's left
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. row — a line
  9. wake — a trail
  10. pit — in a race
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rest — a break
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. rest — what's left
  20. row — to paddle
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. tube — a container
  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