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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: coach · suit · key · mark · row · last · patient · hide

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. last — finally
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. row — a line
  8. key — in music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. row — to paddle
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. suit — clothes
  15. key — the most important part
  16. suit — in cards
  17. last — final
  18. mark — a trace
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. suit — to fit
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mark — a grade
  23. last — to go on
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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