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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.

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: stand · chip · plane · coach · bound · scale · patient · face

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bound — tied together
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. plane — a tool
  10. scale — in music
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. face — part of the head
  13. chip — for betting
  14. face — to point toward
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bound — obliged
  17. face — to confront
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bound — certain
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. stand — to bear

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