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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 116 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: row · patient · kick · coach · cue · leaves · net · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. net — after costs
  7. cue — a hint
  8. net — in sport
  9. cue — a signal
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. kick — in football
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. row — to paddle
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. rash — hasty
  18. cue — for pool
  19. row — a line
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. net — for catching
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. leaves — of a tree

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