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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. vault — a safe
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. hand — in cards
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. fine — all right
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. sharp — clever
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. fine — high quality
  23. hand — help
  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