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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: spell · net · wake · bore · vault · patient · fine · pound

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. spell — magic
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. spell — a short time
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pound — a weight
  18. net — in sport
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. fine — all right
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. spell — letters

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