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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.

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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: rock · coach · racket · suit · kick · lie · jam · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kick — in football
  6. suit — clothes
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rock — music
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. suit — in cards
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rock — a stone
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. jam — a tight spot

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