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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. clip — a video
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — a safe
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. track — to keep track
  7. suit — clothes
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bound — obliged
  10. track — a song
  11. bound — tied together
  12. suit — to fit
  13. clip — to cut
  14. clip — for paper
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. band — a ring
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. track — a path
  19. bound — certain
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. band — a music group
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. band — a rubber band

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