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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 · band · patient · coach · root · key · hide · nail

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. root — the cause
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. key — for a lock
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — in music
  15. band — a ring
  16. root — of a word
  17. band — a music group
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — the most important part
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. root — of a plant

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