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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 124 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. net — after costs
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. capital — money
  11. net — in sport
  12. capital — a city
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rest — a break
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. net — for catching
  21. plane — a tool
  22. vault — a safe
  23. rest — what's left
  24. kick — in football

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