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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 120 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: mark · track · firm · chest · coach · suit · squash · patient

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. track — to keep track
  4. firm — a company
  5. chest — of your body
  6. suit — to fit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. squash — to crush
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. track — a path
  14. chest — a box
  15. track — a song
  16. mark — a trace
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. firm — decided
  20. chest — of your body
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — steady
  24. mark — a grade

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