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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: bore · patient · coach · bank · tube · cap · ball · scale

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. scale — in music
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bank — for money
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cap — of ice
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cap — a hat
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. cap — a lid
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bore — to drill
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. tube — a container
  19. bank — for money
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bank — of a river

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