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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. land — a country
  4. present — a gift
  5. club — for dancing
  6. land — ground
  7. club — for golf
  8. vault — a safe
  9. land — to come down
  10. ground — a position
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stem — to come from
  13. ground — crushed
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. club — a group
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. present — there
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. present — the time now

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