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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: firm · key · patient · vault · coach · rule

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. firm — a company
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rule — government
  7. firm — steady
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. vault — a safe
  10. firm — decided
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. key — for a lock
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. coach — a trainer
  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