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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 124 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
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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: land · suit · coach · lash · patient · date · rock · lie

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rock — music
  4. land — a country
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lie — to recline
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. land — to come down
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rock — a stone
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. land — ground
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. coach — a trainer

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