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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: coach · pitch · nail · trunk · sharp · craft · patient · bowl

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. craft — boats
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. craft — a skill
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bowl — a dish

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