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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. kick — in football
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pass — a permit
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. craft — boats
  15. vault — a safe
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wound — an injury
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — to hit hard

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