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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: bound · coach · plane · bark · patient · pitch · court · fan

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. court — for sport
  6. bark — to shout
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. court — of law
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. court — of a king
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bound — certain
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pitch — completely
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bound — obliged

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