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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: pop · chip · vault · shower · wax · perch · leaves · patient

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — to wash
  6. chip — to eat
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. wax — to grow
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. chip — for betting
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. shower — rain
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pop — soda
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. wax — for sculpting

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