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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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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: present · swing · bay · ruler · chest · perch · patient · coach

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. present — there
  4. chest — of your body
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. swing — to play on
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chest — of your body
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. present — the time now
  18. perch — the fish
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. chest — a box
  21. swing — music
  22. present — a gift
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. ruler — for measuring

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