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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 120 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: wave · content · coach · patient · current · squash · rule · rock

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rock — a stone
  5. content — happy
  6. squash — the sport
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rock — music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rule — a law
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rule — government
  14. current — happening now
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. content — the amount
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. coach — a trainer

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