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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 116 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: mark · vault · fine · ruler · wave · net · game · patient

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. fine — all right
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. mark — a grade
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. net — for catching
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mark — to pay attention

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