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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 116 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: net · bay · scale · vault · tear · face · root · patient

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. root — of a plant
  3. net — in sport
  4. scale — size or range
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. net — after costs
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. vault — a safe
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. root — the cause
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. face — to point toward
  18. root — of a word
  19. face — to confront
  20. tear — from crying
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. scale — in music
  24. face — part of the head

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