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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 116 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: staff · coach · ruler · patient · swing · pass · court · bass

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. staff — employees
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. swing — music
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. staff — a stick
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. swing — in golf
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bass — low music
  17. court — of a king
  18. pass — a permit
  19. court — of law
  20. staff — employees
  21. court — for sport
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bass — the instrument

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