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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — a tin
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. cap — of ice
  10. hand — help
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mug — a cup
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. can — to be able to
  15. vault — a safe
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — to rob
  18. can — a tin

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