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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: wake · mouse · pass · firm · patient · vault · hand · foot

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pass — a permit
  5. vault — a safe
  6. firm — steady
  7. wake — a trail
  8. foot — a measure
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. firm — a company
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. hand — help
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. hand — in cards
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. firm — decided

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