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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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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: bank · lean · coach · patient · snap · bay · rock · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. pass — to spend time
  2. snap — to click
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bank — for money
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bank — of a river
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. lean — to bend
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rock — music
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — thin
  19. pass — a permit
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bank — for money
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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