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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. field — for sport
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bound — certain
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. prune — to trim
  16. field — a subject
  17. bound — obliged
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. field — farmland
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bowl — a dish

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