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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.

Make a worksheet

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: deal · patient · wax · roll · board · toast · coach · dip

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. board — to get on
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. roll — a list
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. deal — to handle
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. board — a committee
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. roll — a cake
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. dip — to sink
  24. wax — for sculpting

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