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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 124 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. charge — a price
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bore — to drill
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. charge — in control
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. net — for catching
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bore — to tire
  16. net — after costs
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. net — in sport
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. patient — a sick person

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