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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: deal · face · wound · stem · cue · patient · date · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. cue — for pool
  6. wound — an injury
  7. deal — to handle
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. face — to point toward
  13. wound — an injury
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. face — to confront
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. face — part of the head
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. cue — a hint
  20. date — the fruit
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. cue — a signal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. date — on the calendar

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