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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: chair · vault · kick · mark · fan · rush · patient · mine

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. mine — for digging
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. kick — in football
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mark — a grade
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. vault — a safe
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. rush — hurry
  23. chair — a leader
  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