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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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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: coach · bulb · patient · rule · object · suit · wound · jam

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. object — an aim
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bulb — for light
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rule — a law
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. object — to protest
  16. wound — an injury
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. object — a thing
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rule — government
  24. suit — to fit

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