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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: mouse · tube · nail · patient · coach · arm · hand · rash

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. hand — help
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rash — hasty

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