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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. dip — to sink
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. rock — music
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fine — all right
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. band — a music group
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pound — a weight
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. band — a ring
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fine — high quality
  24. rock — a stone

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