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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.

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: coach · bay · wake · patient · snap · bass · jam · rush

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. snap — to click
  15. bass — the fish
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bass — low music
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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