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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: net · vault · bore · fine · degree · foot · patient · pitcher

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. vault — a safe
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. net — in sport
  5. fine — high quality
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. fine — all right
  10. bore — to drill
  11. degree — from a university
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. net — for catching
  15. bore — to tire
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. degree — temperature
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. net — after costs
  24. degree — an amount

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