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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.

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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 · hand · ground · vault · deal · can · saw · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. can — to be able to
  5. ground — the earth
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. hand — help
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. can — a tin
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. object — an aim
  13. deal — to handle
  14. object — to protest
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — a safe
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. can — a tin
  22. ground — a position
  23. hand — in cards
  24. ground — crushed

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