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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: last · straw · patient · current · toast · vault · lie · pop

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. last — to go on
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. vault — a safe
  5. current — of water
  6. pop — soda
  7. toast — bread
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. lie — to recline
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. current — happening now
  15. pop — music
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. last — final
  21. pop — to visit
  22. current — electric
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — a straw man

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