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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. club — for dancing
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. club — for golf
  9. suit — clothes
  10. club — a group
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. track — a song
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. track — a path
  17. vault — a safe
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. suit — in cards
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. track — to keep track

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