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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.

Make a worksheet

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: coach · wave · net · patient · bound · key · bay · plane

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. net — for catching
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. key — in music
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. key — for a lock
  11. net — in sport
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. key — the most important part
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. plane — a tool
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bound — certain
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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