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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: suit · patient · coach · game · toast · mark · bass · bulb

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. bass — low music
  5. game — wild animals
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. suit — to fit
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bulb — for light
  12. game — a match
  13. toast — bread
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mark — a grade
  17. suit — clothes
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bulb — for light
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — the fish
  24. game — a kind of play

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