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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 116 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: suit · wind · pound · fine · coach · net · patient · calf

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. net — in sport
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pound — a weight
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. net — after costs
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. wind — moving air
  24. net — for catching

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