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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: patient · jam · coach · pit · date · capital · plane · foot

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. date — the fruit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. capital — a city
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pit — in a race
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. capital — money
  24. date — on the calendar

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