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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: prune · bowl · stock · fan · vault · ball · wake · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. vault — a safe
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stock — goods
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. wake — a trail
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stock — shares
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. prune — to trim
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ball — a dance

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