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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 120 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: pass · file · swing · pitcher · craft · patient · face · coach

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. face — to point toward
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. face — to confront
  6. craft — boats
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. face — part of the head
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — in golf
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. file — a line of people
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. swing — to play on
  20. file — a document
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pitcher — a jug

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