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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: clip · spell · scale · patient · coach · drill · can · rock

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. clip — for paper
  5. scale — size or range
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rock — music
  10. spell — magic
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. spell — letters
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. scale — in music
  17. clip — to cut
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. clip — a video
  24. can — a tin

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