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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: mug · coach · nail · court · dip · wind · rest · band

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wind — moving air
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mug — to rob
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. mug — a cup
  10. court — of a king
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rest — what's left
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. band — a music group
  17. court — for sport
  18. mug — a face
  19. dip — to sink
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. band — a ring
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. court — of law

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