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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mate — to breed
  5. tear — to rip
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mate — a friend
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. tear — from crying
  13. vault — a safe
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rock — music
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mate — a partner
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. foot — a measure
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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