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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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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: mate · spell · present · bank · game · sharp · patient · coach

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spell — letters
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. spell — a short time
  6. present — there
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mate — a friend
  9. spell — magic
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. present — the time now
  12. game — a match
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bank — of a river
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bank — for money
  20. sharp — clever
  21. present — a gift
  22. bank — for money
  23. mate — a partner
  24. game — wild animals

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