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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.

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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: patient · squash · pound · coach · season · object · swing · pop

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pop — soda
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. swing — music
  5. squash — the sport
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. object — an aim
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. squash — to crush
  11. object — to protest
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. swing — in golf
  14. object — a thing
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pop — music
  18. season — in sport
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. season — of the year
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pound — a weight
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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