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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: suit · pitch · swing · pop · coach · drill · patient · ruler

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. suit — in cards
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. drill — the tool
  7. swing — music
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. swing — in golf
  10. drill — a practice
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pop — soda
  15. swing — to play on
  16. drill — army training
  17. pitch — completely
  18. suit — clothes
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. patient — a sick person

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