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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: nail · coach · hand · wake · bound · fan · foot · mark

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bound — tied together
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. foot — a measure
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. hand — help
  9. bound — certain
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. wake — a trail
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mark — a grade
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bound — obliged
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mark — a trace

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