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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: lean · perch · pitch · wind · patient · staff · coach · current

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pitch — completely
  6. perch — the fish
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. staff — a stick
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. staff — employees
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lean — to bend
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. current — electric
  17. wind — moving air
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. current — happening now
  20. lean — thin
  21. current — of water
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. staff — employees

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