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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 116 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. spring — of water
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bank — of a river
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rush — hurry
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. vault — a safe
  10. spring — a coil
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. spring — the season
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pop — music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bank — for money
  17. drill — army training
  18. bank — for money
  19. pop — soda
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. drill — the tool

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