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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: bear · firm · patient · coach · date · suit · net · lean

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bear — the animal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. suit — in cards
  12. net — in sport
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. firm — a company
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. lean — thin
  21. net — for catching
  22. suit — clothes
  23. net — after costs
  24. bear — the animal

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