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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 · bay · temple · dip · vault · rule · firm · bat

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. firm — decided
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bat — the animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. dip — to sink
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. rule — government
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rule — a law
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. firm — steady

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