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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.

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: bark · band · coach · plane · nail · patient · root · ruler

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. root — of a word
  3. bark — to shout
  4. band — a ring
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. root — the cause
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. root — of a plant
  22. plane — a tool
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — for a hammer

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