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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: chip · patient · toast · jam · coach · mine · ruler · rest

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rest — a break
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rest — what's left
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chip — to eat
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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