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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: suit · pit · patient · row · coach · press · pop · fork

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pit — a hole
  6. press — a publisher
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pop — soda
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — to fit
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pop — to visit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pop — music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. press — newspapers
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. press — to push

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