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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 120 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: scale · pass · deal · rock · coach · cabinet · patient · nail

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. rock — music
  6. pass — a permit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. scale — size or range
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rock — a stone
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. deal — to handle
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. scale — in music

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