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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
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: perch · cap · land · suit · coach · fork · spring · patient

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  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. spring — a coil
  2. cap — a hat
  3. fork — in a road
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. suit — to fit
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. land — to come down
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. spring — the season
  11. cap — of ice
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cap — a lid
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. land — ground
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. perch — the fish
  19. spring — of water
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. land — a country
  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