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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: patient · nail · prune · lie · squash · bay · shower · coach

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. shower — rain
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. squash — the sport
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. squash — to crush
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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