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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: deal · coach · patient · lash · hand · pit · can · stem

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. deal — to handle
  8. hand — in cards
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hand — help
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. can — to be able to
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pit — in a race
  21. can — a tin
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stem — to come from

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