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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
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: saw · wake · suit · chair · plane · patient · swing · coach

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. swing — to play on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wake — a trail
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. swing — music
  16. suit — to fit
  17. saw — the tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. suit — clothes
  20. swing — in golf
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chair — a leader
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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