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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. club — a group
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. tube — a container
  6. snap — to click
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. suit — in cards
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. club — for dancing
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. vault — a safe
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. club — for golf
  20. tube — the underground
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ruler — for measuring

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