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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.

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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 · wake · hide · bank · patient · coach · pound · arm

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bank — for money
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bank — for money
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bank — of a river
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pound — a weight
  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