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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.

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: game · firm · vault · content · current · patient · cabinet · stem

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. game — a match
  5. content — the amount
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. firm — decided
  8. game — wild animals
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. current — of water
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. vault — a safe
  16. firm — steady
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. current — electric
  19. current — happening now
  20. content — happy
  21. firm — a company
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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