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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: coach · present · march · bass · nail · net · calf · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bass — the fish
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. march — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — the time now
  13. march — the month
  14. net — after costs
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. march — the month
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. net — in sport
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bass — low music
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. net — for catching

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