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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: roll · club · pit · pass · patient · mine · vault · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pit — a hole
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for dancing
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. roll — a cake
  15. rule — a law
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mine — for digging
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. roll — a list
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. club — for golf

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