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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · spell · fine · vault · rule · present

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. present — there
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. present — a gift
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spell — magic
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rule — government
  10. fine — all right
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. vault — a safe
  13. spell — a short time
  14. fine — high quality
  15. spell — letters
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. present — the time now
  18. rule — a law

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