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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bound — tied together
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bat — the animal
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bound — obliged
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bound — certain

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