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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. band — a ring
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fall — the season
  5. rush — hurry
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fall — to drop
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. ball — a dance
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ball — a great time
  15. fine — high quality
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe
  19. band — a music group
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fine — all right
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fall — to drop
  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