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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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468
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: leaves · coach · present · deal · tube · toast · craft · patient

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. present — the time now
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. present — there
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. toast — bread
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. present — a gift
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. tube — the underground
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. craft — boats
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. craft — a skill
  24. tube — a container

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