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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.

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: object · spring · ball · vault · fine · pitcher · racket · patient

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ball — a great time
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. spring — a coil
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. vault — a safe
  10. fine — all right
  11. object — a thing
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. spring — of water
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. spring — the season
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. fine — high quality
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ball — a dance

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