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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
468
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: face · patient · board · shower · stock · toast · vault · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. toast — bread
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. vault — a safe
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. face — to confront
  12. stock — goods
  13. shower — rain
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. shower — to wash
  16. face — part of the head
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. face — to point toward
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stock — shares

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