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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 120 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 · dip · calf · bound · rest · fine · vault · spring

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. spring — of water
  3. bound — certain
  4. rest — a break
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rest — what's left
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bound — obliged
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. spring — a coil
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bound — tied together
  14. spring — the season
  15. fine — all right
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. vault — a safe
  21. fine — high quality
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. patient — a sick person

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