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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: calf · present · last · patient · coach · nail · court · toast

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. last — finally
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. present — there
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. last — to go on
  8. court — of law
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. court — of a king
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. court — for sport
  15. present — the time now
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. present — a gift

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