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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. can — to be able to
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. firm — steady
  8. vault — a safe
  9. court — of law
  10. firm — decided
  11. court — of a king
  12. can — a tin
  13. firm — a company
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. can — a tin
  18. swing — in golf
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. court — for sport
  21. swing — music
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. saw — the tool
  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