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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mine — for digging
  16. stand — to bear
  17. fine — all right
  18. club — for golf
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. vault — a safe
  24. club — a group

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