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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.

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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: foot · patient · stand · rash · deal · coach · cell · chest

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. cell — in biology
  5. chest — a box
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. chest — of your body
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cell — a phone
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rash — hasty
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rash — a series
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stand — to bear
  24. chest — of your body

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