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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: club · can · vault · mark · bass · patient · sharp · perch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bass — low music
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mark — a trace
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. club — a group
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. club — for dancing
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. can — to be able to
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mark — a grade
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bass — the fish
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. sharp — clever
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. can — a tin
  23. club — for golf
  24. can — a tin

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