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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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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: date · vault · deal · patient · bear · kick · swing · staff

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. vault — a safe
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. staff — a stick
  12. deal — to handle
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. staff — employees
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. swing — in golf
  17. kick — in football
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. date — the fruit
  21. staff — employees
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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