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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: current · deal · perch · firm · vault · can · patient · tube

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. tube — the underground
  3. can — a tin
  4. firm — a company
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. can — to be able to
  7. perch — the fish
  8. current — electric
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. can — a tin
  13. firm — steady
  14. deal — to handle
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — decided
  18. current — happening now
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tube — a container
  23. current — of water
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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