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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 120 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: vault · dip · bat · stem · wax · coach · patient · calf

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. vault — a safe
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wax — to grow
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bat — the animal
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. stem — to come from
  24. dip — to dunk

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