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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: perch · coach · kid · spell · suit · pit · patient · game

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. suit — to fit
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. suit — clothes
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. game — wild animals
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. kid — child
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. kid — to tease
  20. suit — in cards
  21. perch — the fish
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. game — a match
  24. spell — a short time

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