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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: club · vault · kick · object · bore · patient

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. club — a group
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. bore — to tire
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. object — to protest
  9. club — for dancing
  10. object — an aim
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. object — a thing
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. bore — to drill
  17. club — for golf
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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