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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · court · object · can · scale · bay · coach · root

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. object — to protest
  3. can — to be able to
  4. scale — size or range
  5. root — the cause
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. scale — in music
  12. court — of a king
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. can — a tin
  15. root — of a word
  16. object — an aim
  17. court — for sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. object — a thing
  22. court — of law
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. coach — a trainer

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