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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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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: coach · patient · swing · mouse · arm · track · rock · fall

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. track — a song
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. swing — in golf
  8. fall — to drop
  9. swing — to play on
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rock — music
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. swing — music
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. track — to keep track
  20. fall — the season
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fall — to drop
  23. track — a path
  24. arm — a part of something

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