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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 120 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 transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. cap — of ice
  3. mine — for digging
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stock — shares
  8. band — a ring
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cap — a lid
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. vault — a safe
  16. stock — goods
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. object — an aim
  19. cap — a hat
  20. object — to protest
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. object — a thing
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. band — a music group

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