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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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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 · rush · roll

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

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

Answer key

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

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