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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
468
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: band · rock · coach · pit · patient · object · board · last

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rock — a stone
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. last — finally
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. object — an aim
  9. band — a music group
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. board — to get on
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. last — to go on
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. last — final
  17. band — a ring
  18. pit — in a race
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rock — music
  21. pit — a hole
  22. board — a committee
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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