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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: coach · degree · patient · stand · board · current · deal · perch

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. stand — to bear
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. current — of water
  7. deal — to handle
  8. board — a committee
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. perch — the fish
  11. degree — from a university
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. current — electric
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. degree — an amount
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. current — happening now
  19. board — to get on
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. degree — temperature
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. stand — for spectators
  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