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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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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: straw · bay · patient · band · snap · bear · plane · vault

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. snap — to click
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bear — the animal
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. vault — a safe
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bear — the animal
  18. band — a music group
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. band — a ring
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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