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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: pass · patient · wake · hide · pitch · content · present · coach

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. content — the amount
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — happy
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pitch — completely
  11. present — the time now
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. present — a gift
  15. pass — a permit
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. present — there
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. wake — a trail

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