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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: nail · shower · dip · root · coach · jam · patient · date

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. root — of a plant
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. root — of a word
  11. shower — rain
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. root — the cause
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. dip — to sink
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — to wash
  24. dip — to dunk

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