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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. ball — a great time
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. vault — a safe
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cap — a hat
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. ball — a dance
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stand — to bear
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. cap — a lid

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