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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: patient · game · board · rush · kick · leaves · bark · vault

  1. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — a dog's sound
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — hurry
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. kick — in football
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. game — wild animals
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. vault — a safe
  13. game — a match
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. board — to get on
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. board — a committee
  21. bark — to shout
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. kick — with a leg

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