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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cue — a signal
  10. last — finally
  11. bound — tied together
  12. wax — to grow
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. land — a country
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — final
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. vault — a safe
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. land — ground
  24. land — to come down

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