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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: bank · chip · pop · patient · season · bore · coach · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pop — to visit
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pop — music
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bore — to drill
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — of the year
  13. pop — soda
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bank — of a river
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bank — for money
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bore — gave birth
  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