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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. land — ground
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. rush — hurry
  14. land — a country
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bass — low music
  20. mate — to breed
  21. land — to come down
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rush — to hurry

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