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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: spring · fork · can · lean · mark · coach · patient · track

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. track — a path
  4. mark — a grade
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. can — a tin
  7. lean — to bend
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. can — to be able to
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — of water
  15. can — a tin
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. spring — the season
  18. track — a song
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. lean — thin
  23. mark — a trace
  24. fork — a garden tool

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