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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 120 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: branch · patient · lash · fan · coach · mark · pitcher · squash

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. mark — a trace
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. squash — the sport
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a grade
  17. branch — a division
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. squash — to crush
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. coach — a trainer

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