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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: patient · calf · plane · nail · key · rash · coach · rock

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. key — the most important part
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rash — hasty
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rock — music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rash — a series
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. key — in music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. calf — of the leg

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