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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
468
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: fan · bulb · coach · patient · key · rest · wound · court

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rest — what's left
  7. court — for sport
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. court — of law
  10. key — the most important part
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. key — in music
  14. rest — a break
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. court — of a king
  18. bulb — for light
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wound — an injury
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — for a lock
  24. patient — a sick person

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