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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 120 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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mark — a trace
  6. press — newspapers
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. row — to paddle
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bound — tied together
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. press — to push
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. press — a publisher
  18. row — a line
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mark — a grade
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — a series

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