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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.

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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: chair · pitch · toast · track · plane · deal · coach · patient

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  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. toast — a drink to someone
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. track — a path
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. plane — a tool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. track — a song
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. track — to keep track
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. chair — a leader
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. toast — bread
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. toast — the most admired
  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