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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: coach · shower · nail · snap · chair · ground · suit · can

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. suit — to fit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. shower — to wash
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. snap — to click
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. can — to be able to
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. suit — clothes
  14. ground — a position
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. can — a tin
  17. chair — a leader
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. shower — rain
  21. ground — the earth
  22. suit — in cards
  23. can — a tin
  24. ground — crushed

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