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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 120 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: object · nail · coach · patient · tube · cold · temple · net

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. tube — a container
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. net — for catching
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — an aim
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. net — after costs
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. net — in sport
  16. tube — the underground
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cold — not warm
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cold — an illness
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. object — a thing

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