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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 · suit · band · craft · vault · fine · chair · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. suit — to fit
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. band — a music group
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. craft — boats
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. squash — the sport
  11. suit — clothes
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fine — high quality
  14. chair — a leader
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. squash — to crush
  17. suit — in cards
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. craft — a skill
  20. vault — a safe
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fine — all right
  23. band — a ring
  24. chair — a professorship

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