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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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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. vault — a safe
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. mark — a trace
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. craft — a skill
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. track — a song
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. track — a path
  19. snap — to click
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. track — to keep track
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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