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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: band · nail · snap · spring · coach · leaves · suit · fine

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. spring — of water
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. suit — clothes
  10. spring — the season
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. spring — a coil
  13. suit — to fit
  14. band — a ring
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. band — a music group
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. suit — in cards
  21. snap — to click
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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