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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: vault · mark · patient · firm · chip · race

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. firm — a company
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. race — the arms race
  9. firm — steady
  10. chip — to eat
  11. race — a contest
  12. mark — a trace
  13. race — humankind
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mark — a grade
  16. chip — for betting
  17. firm — decided
  18. chip — in a computer

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