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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: vault · staff · bulb · patient · kid · calf · rush · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. staff — employees
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. object — to protest
  12. rush — hurry
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. object — an aim
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kid — to tease
  21. vault — a safe
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. kid — child

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