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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: season · patient · band · lash · bay · nail · coach · leaves

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. season — of the year
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. season — in sport
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. band — a music group
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. band — a ring
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. nail — on a finger

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