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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mug — a face
  7. chest — a box
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. fine — high quality
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. land — to come down
  12. mug — a cup
  13. chest — of your body
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. chest — of your body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. vault — a safe
  19. land — ground
  20. race — a contest
  21. race — humankind
  22. mug — to rob
  23. race — the arms race
  24. fine — all right

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