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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: foot · sharp · patient · vault · drill · hide · land · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. drill — army training
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. vault — a safe
  5. land — to come down
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. foot — a measure
  10. drill — a practice
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. sharp — clever
  20. object — to protest
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. object — a thing
  23. drill — the tool
  24. sharp — with an edge

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