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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: ground · fan · firm · coach · lie · trunk · patient · chair

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. firm — steady
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — a company
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. firm — decided
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. chair — a leader
  17. lie — to recline
  18. ground — a position
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ground — the earth
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. coach — a trainer

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