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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: squash · coach · game · patient · march · snap · track · calf

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. squash — to crush
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. march — the month
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. squash — the sport
  13. march — the month
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. game — a match
  18. track — to keep track
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. snap — to click
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. march — music

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