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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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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: jam · snap · ground · patient · wave · rule · lie · coach

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ground — the earth
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. rule — government
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ground — crushed
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ground — a position
  14. rule — a law
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lie — to recline
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. patient — a sick person

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