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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 120 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: face · nail · patient · club · board · vault · lash · wave

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. face — part of the head
  6. vault — a safe
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. face — to point toward
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. club — a group
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. board — to get on
  13. club — for golf
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. board — a committee
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. face — to confront
  23. club — for dancing
  24. nail — for a hammer

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