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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.

Words on the sheet
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: content · cabinet · coach · wax · fan · rash · kick · patient

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wax — to grow
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rash — a series
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. rash — hasty
  11. content — happy
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. kick — in football
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. patient — a sick person

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