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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.

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: rock · object · leaves · vault · patient · pop · straw · fan

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. object — an aim
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. vault — a safe
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pop — music
  13. object — to protest
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pop — to visit
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. object — a thing
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pop — soda

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