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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.

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: calf · rule · coach · patient · stem · fan · swing · present

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. present — the time now
  3. swing — in golf
  4. stem — to come from
  5. swing — music
  6. present — there
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. swing — to play on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. present — a gift
  20. rule — government
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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