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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
468
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: chip · pit · coach · patient · pop · plane · tube · stem

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pop — to visit
  4. tube — the underground
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pit — a hole
  8. tube — a container
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pop — soda
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. plane — a tool
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. pop — music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. chip — for betting
  24. patient — a sick person

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