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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. rock — music
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rash — hasty
  7. band — a ring
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mate — a partner
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. court — for sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mate — a friend
  20. court — of law
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. court — of a king
  23. rash — a series
  24. band — a music 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