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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: ruler · patient · bound · bulb · vault · mate · trunk · swing

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. swing — in golf
  3. bulb — for light
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bulb — for light
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bound — obliged
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bound — tied together
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bound — certain

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