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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wound — an injury
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. vault — a safe
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. track — to keep track
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. track — a song
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — the animal
  18. track — a path
  19. drill — the tool
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. patient — a sick person

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