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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. last — final
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. fine — high quality
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. last — finally
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. spell — magic
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. club — for golf
  15. fine — all right
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. club — for dancing
  18. toast — bread
  19. club — a group
  20. vault — a safe
  21. hand — in cards
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. last — to go on

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