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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: patient · leaves · mate · last · coach · lash · board · stock

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mate — to breed
  4. board — to get on
  5. last — to go on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. last — finally
  9. mate — a friend
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. board — a committee
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. stock — goods
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. last — final
  20. stock — shares
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mate — a partner
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stock — a soup base

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