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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: coach · track · suit · game · court · hide · last · patient

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. court — of law
  4. court — of a king
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. track — a path
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. last — finally
  15. track — to keep track
  16. suit — to fit
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. last — final
  19. court — for sport
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. last — to go on
  24. track — a song

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