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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mate — a partner
  3. club — for dancing
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mate — to breed
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pit — in a race
  10. club — a group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a ring
  13. staff — employees
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. band — a music group
  16. pit — a hole
  17. club — for golf
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mate — a friend
  24. staff — employees

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