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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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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: dip · patient · leaves · bore · vault · race · bay · mine

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. dip — to sink
  4. race — humankind
  5. bore — to tire
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. vault — a safe
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bore — to drill
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — the arms race
  24. mine — for digging

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