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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
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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: bark · coach · charge · patient · suit · net · stem · pitcher

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bark — to shout
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. charge — electricity
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — for catching
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. charge — a price
  22. net — in sport
  23. charge — in control
  24. pitcher — a jug

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