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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: land · fan · patient · coach · wax · vault · safe · stick

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. land — a country
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. land — to come down
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. land — ground

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