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

Word bank: patient · vault · straw · stick · firm · bay

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. firm — steady
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. firm — decided
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. firm — a company
  18. straw — dry grass

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