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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: fine · patient · court · charge · swing · nail · coach · craft

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. fine — high quality
  4. court — of a king
  5. craft — a skill
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. swing — music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. charge — in control
  14. craft — boats
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. swing — to play on
  19. fine — all right
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. patient — a sick person

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