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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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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: fine · calf · game · wind · hide · lean · vault · patient

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. game — wild animals
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. fine — all right
  5. lean — to bend
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. vault — a safe
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. lean — thin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. game — a match
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fine — high quality
  24. calf — of the leg

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