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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. spring — the season
  3. hand — help
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bore — to drill
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — all right
  11. suit — to fit
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. spring — of water
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spring — a coil
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bore — to tire
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — size or range

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