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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: jam · bowl · root · patient · coach · fall · nail · craft

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fall — the season
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. fall — to drop
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — the cause
  11. fall — to drop
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. root — of a plant
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. craft — boats

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