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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: rock · fan · bear · patient · tear · season · coach · pop

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pop — music
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pop — to visit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. season — of the year
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bear — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pop — soda
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. season — in sport
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — from crying
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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