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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 · rush · net · cap · leaves · rash · coach · patient

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. net — in sport
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rash — hasty
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cap — a lid
  17. net — for catching
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cap — a hat

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