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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · rest · ruler · patient · spring · staff · ground · suit

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ground — crushed
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. ground — the earth
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. spring — of water
  14. rest — a break
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spring — the season
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. spring — a coil
  21. ground — a position
  22. suit — to fit
  23. staff — employees
  24. ruler — for measuring

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