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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.

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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: patient · leaves · foot · rest · mouse · vault · trunk · shower

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. shower — to wash
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rest — what's left
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. vault — a safe
  13. shower — rain
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rest — a break
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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